A Heart to Give

Do you have a heart for giving? The Bible is full of examples of people who gave unselfishly to bless the Lord and His people.

The people of Israel gave so much to the building of the temple that they had to turn away people's offerings! The widow woman gave her last to the prophet of God and was blessed to have food throughout a famine. Hannah gave up her own son to the Lord as thanksgiving for her answered prayer. A woman gave her last copper coins to the temple and was noticed by Jesus. The early church gave all their belongings to the benefit of the entire body so that no one had any lack.

Nowadays, people tend to shy away from giving. We ignore the beggars on the street. When the preacher starts talking about giving in church, we get uncomfortable and half listen. We set up our own "boundaries" of what we will or won't give to others. Our times of "service" or "volunteering" are more about padding our own resumes or making ourselves look good rather than giving back to those in need.

We serve a God who definitely leads by example. He gave Adam a paradise to live in and have dominion over when He first created the world. He gave us His word to follow so that we could live blessed lives. He gave His only Son so that we could be reconciled to Him. He sent His Holy Spirit to comfort us and guide us in all things.

We have been given so much! The least we could do is pay it forward and give to someone else as well. God loves cheerful givers! He loves them because they look just like Him!

Take some inventory of your own heart. Do you love to give? Are you giving out of love or duty? Do you give grudgingly or freely? Do you look just like your Father in the area of giving?

If you find yourself lacking, ask the Lord to transform your heart. Ask Him to break away stinginess and selfishness. Ask the Lord to expand your love for others to where you want to give.

And then give. Practice today and give to somebody just because. When you give, you look like your Heavenly Father. When you give, you make Him proud.

Verse of the Day: Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7

Afternoon Ti: Inspiration

I came across this article this morning in my readings. It really made me pause and think. I can identify with what Marina wrote. It is tragic that she has passed. I hope she knew the Lord.

What sticks out is her notion that "we can still do anything." Of course, she believed this because she was only twenty-two, but I believe this because I have Jesus on my side. It doesn't matter if you're twenty-two, thirty-two, or sixty-two. God's mercies are new every morning, and nothing is impossible with Him.

This piece is a reminder that we all should be striving to live our lives to the fullest. Tomorrow is not promised. But God has given you a promise that must come to pass.

Take a moment to read Marina's article here and get inspired.

Don't Shrink Back!

When Adam and Eve sinned in the garden, the glory of God that clothed them was removed and they realized their nakedness. Their sin caused them to feel to feel shame, and they hid when they knew that God was coming to talk with them. (Genesis 3)

As a PK (Preacher's Kid), I've been blessed to be around numerous men and women of God growing up. When I was younger, I would enjoy sitting in the back rooms and listening in on their conversations. It was enlightening to hear what they were like when they weren't preaching to a crowd of people. I thank God that the majority of those men and women were people of integrity and set good examples for me.

It's funny because most of my friends didn't feel the same way that I did about hanging around the preachers. They wouldn't want to go and talk to the ministers out of fear that God would reveal to them something negative about my friends. They were afraid that their 'sins' would be exposed. They shrank back from the anointing God had placed on those people's lives.

In the same way, some of us shrink back from God's presence when we are in sin. We don't pray as deeply as we normally would (if we pray at all). Some of us stop going to church. Others dodge ministry leaders in our church. Like my friends, we don't want to be 'exposed', we don't want anyone to hone in on our secret sins.

Yet, if we continue reading Adam and Eve's story, we see that even though God rightly rebuked them, He made a way for the sins to be covered. At that time, it took the sacrifice of a lamb, but God told Adam and Eve what to do to make things right. He even gave them the lamb's wool as a covering for their nakedness.

We all sin and fall short of God's glory. However, we serve a just and gracious God. Of course there are consequences for our sin, but God's grace is there to cover and make things right again. We are blessed to have the eternal sacrifice of God's Son, Jesus, to cover our transgressions. And He has made a way for us to be reconciled with God.

So what you fell? That doesn't mean that you should turn away from God's presence. It's all the more reason for you to run to Him, so He can make you whole again. Don't shrink back, press in. Your Heavenly Father is waiting with love to make it all okay.

Verse of the Day: God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. 1 John 4:9, 10

Moving Forward

Right now, I am so excited with what God has given me to do! I've been taking some steps to move forward in the call that He has given to me, and I'm excited to see the results.

When Abraham was first called by God, the Lord told Him to get away from everything he knew and go to a place God would point out. God told Abraham that he would become a great person and be the father of a great nation.

At that time Abraham had nothing indicating that he would be the father of a great nation. He didn't have a son; He didn't even have a daughter. His wife was barren. Yet, Abraham chose to believe the word of the Lord. He chose to step out and follow God's instructions. And Abraham's obedience caused him to move into exactly what God had ordained for his life.

What has God asked you to do? Are you moving forward in the plans He's laid out for you?

It can be scary to initially move forward with God's plans. Often God asks us to do things that take a lot of courage and faith. But, it is when we pull up that courage and tap into our faith in God that He is able to move. God's not going to move until we do our part. He works with our faith. And faith without works is dead. (James 2:17) If you're not moving, you probably aren't in faith.

Move forward with God today! Be strong and very courageous! God won't ask you to do anything you're not capable of. God will never lead you into failure. His promises are "Yes" and "Amen". (2 Corinthians 1:20) You will not fail. As long as you keep moving forward with God, you will always succeed.

Verse of the Day: Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him... Genesis 12:1-4a

Evening Ti: Memorial Day

Today America stopped to celebrate Memorial Day. We remembered those who gave their lives in service to this country in order for us to celebrate the freedoms that we hold so dear. It is because of their sacrifices that we can experience the rich lives that we have in this country.

This evening, I was thinking also of those who sacrificed so much so that we can have our spiritual freedoms as well. America's founding fathers fought so that our country would be a religiously free country. No one is forcing us into a religion, we have the freedom to choose what we believe. This freedom gives us the opportunities to worship God how we please and evangelize as we desire. We don't have to worship in secrecy or fear, and we don't have to worry about authorities coming in to shut our churches down.

We are so blessed.

As you remember those who gave their lives for our country's freedom, don't forget to give thanks for those who blazed the trail for us to have religious freedoms as well. It is their foresight that has given us the liberty we have in our own lives of worship.

Thanksgiving Friday!

Another week has whizzed by, and I cannot tell you how much I'm looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow! I'm so tired I could fall asleep right now... I mean, right on this desk right now. I'm exhausted. BUT, there is still much work to be done. These kids are graduating today, so I have to stay awake.

This week I'm thankful for God ideas. In the midst of all the hubbub and bustle, God dropped a couple of key ideas into my heart. I've prayed over them and tucked them away to unpack next week when I have some time to breathe. I'm excited! God knows how to keep me motivated. He's always talking, we've just got to make sure we're listening. Thank you, Lord, for continuing to impart into my life.

I'm also thankful for the gifts God has given me. Just going through all the organizing, planning, overseeing, and scheduling that I've had to do these past couple of weeks has shown that God has blessed me with the right mix of goods for me to perform on an excellent level at what I do. Thank you, Jesus, for blessing me with what I need to succeed!

Lastly, I'm grateful for peace. Even though I've been running here, there, and everywhere, I've been blessed with peace in the midst of it all. I haven't been stressing out, burning out, or wilin' out. I've been at peace. I can only thank the Lord for that. He has truly kept my mind at ease. Thanks God, for your peace that passes all understanding.

So, what are you thankful for today? Make sure you send up some prayers of thanksgiving! Have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!

Verse of the Day: Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Isaiah 26:3

Afternoon Ti: Your Reward

I apologize for the late and missing posts. It's graduation season, and I am in the midst of a flurry of activity!  This morning was our Senior Awards ceremony, and I had a lot of things to pin down and get in order to make the ceremony run smoothly.

Watching the faces of the kids light up when their name was called reminded me of how everyone loves to be pointed out and recognized for something. It could be a job well done, a prestigious achievement, or a simple acknowledgement, but we all want to be noticed, we all want to be thanked, we all want to feel approved.

Sometimes our desire for approval makes us do things and behave in certain ways merely for the reward we believe is coming at the end of it all. We do things looking to get. We give out betting on receiving back.

That's not the way Kingdom minded people should live. We should not live in a manner that looks to get something. We shouldn't be looking for rewards or accolades. We shouldn't be looking for the approval of the people around us.

The only driving force in our lives should be pleasing God.

Don't always look for a person to point you out. Yes, it is nice when someone notices the great things that we do, but that should be icing on the cake, not the cake itself. If we never receive a thank you, a gift, a smile, an acknowledgment, a medal or certificate... the only thing that should matter is that God saw what we did. His approval is what sticks. His accolades are what lasts. His acknowledgment is what really gets you into greatness.

What's wonderful is that God sees and knows it all. He's got treasures, crowns, and gifts waiting on you that far exceed anything anyone down here can give you. And, His gifts last forever!

Verse of the Day: ...I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant. Galatians 1:10

Season of Change

We are in the midst in a time of change. Graduation season is upon us and students across the nation are matriculating into the next phase of their lives or careers.

I can barely remember what was said during any of my graduations (college included). One thing I do remember is the feeling I had while sitting in my seat during the ceremony. I was so excited at the possibilities that were in front of me! First high school, then college, then my life! Everything was so full of promise.

Many people graduate with rose colored glasses only to have the harsh reality of life muddy their dreams. They allow the circumstances to take over, or they view the actual work of the dream as too hard and give up on those great treasures they held in their hearts.

But, instead of falling into a life of monotony, disappointment, or settling for the average, we can choose change! Every day is a new opportunity for us to step forward and grab hold of the promises in our hearts. No matter how long ago we dreamed our dream, if it's still there in our hearts, we've got to do it justice and put some work into seeing it fulfilled.

We can choose to live our dream. We can choose to embrace our passions. We can choose to work to see those great things in our minds realized.

Every breath we take is new. There's newness all around us. It's all in how we look at things. It's all in how our attitudes are focused.

What dream do you have that you think is as good as dead? Who says that it can't come true?

Today is a new day! Today you can choose to change! It's never too late, and changing your life is only one step away. Let's live a life we love and love the life we live. We can choose to change today.

Verse of the Day: ...the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thine increase, and in all the works of thine hands, therefore thou shalt surely rejoice. Deuteronomy 16:15

Willing To Obey

Peter's first introduction to Jesus was Jesus' use of his boat to preach from. After Jesus was finished with His sermon, He asked Peter to go out into deeper water and let down his nets to catch some fish. Peter told Jesus that they had worked hard the night before and caught nothing. Yet, after hearing Jesus' powerful words, Peter said: "...nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net." (Luke 5:5)

When Peter obeyed Jesus, he caught more fish than he could handle alone! Peter's willingness to obey the Lord at His word caused him to become blessed beyond measure.

Many times we may labor in our efforts only to see little or no results. We work hard looking for solutions or increase only to find more questions and lack.

When God steps in (or we step towards Him finally) and He gives us instructions, it's always in our best interests to follow His word without question.

I'm sure Peter was exhausted after working all night. He had just cleaned his nets from their fruitless efforts, and now Jesus was asking to use them again. It was broad daylight, so as a fisherman Peter knew that the probability of catching more fish was small.

But Peter still chose to obey.

Maybe God is asking you to do something that seems out of place. God may be requesting you do to something you've done on your own before without results. He may be requiring you to pick up and try something that you feel is impossible.

However, if you are willing to obey God's Word, He will bless you beyond what you can think. Your obedience opens the door for Him to work all things together for your good. When you step out in faith, He can back up your actions with results.

Don't hesitate to obey God's Word. No matter how crazy, hard, or improbable it may seem, if it is the Lord's request, you would be a fool to ignore it.

Verse of the Day: Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness. Psalm 143:10

Do What You Need To Do

Many of us are wise beyond our years. We always know what to do. We can counsel people through problems. We can offer sound suggestions to those who are confused. We read the news and shake our heads at the folly of others.

Yet, when it comes to our own lives, many of us embody the "do as I say, not as I do" lifestyle. Despite our wide berth of knowledge, we can't seem to connect it with what we actually do with our own lives.

I'll use myself as our example for the day:
I know that I should be eating healthier and exercising. Yet, I still choose to eat the junk food and desserts while telling myself that I'm too "tired" to exercise today. (I'm too tired every day.) I know better than to act certain ways, and I still find myself engaging in thoughts or behavior that I know is displeasing to the Lord. (Thank God for forgiveness!) Even where my purpose is concerned, there are things that I know I should be doing to prepare and position myself, but I keep procrastinating about what I have to get done.

What is it that you are lacking to do? Are you telling other people things that you are not living yourself? Are you wise on the inside, but foolish on the outside?

Today, let's shut our mouths and start to do. Let's be about the business of the Kingdom and align our actions with God's purpose for us. Let's not be hypocritical in how we live. If we know what's right, let's do what's right!

The Bible says that you will know a tree by it's fruit. (Luke 6:44) Many of us are fronting like we're healthy trees, but we just have a whole lot of leaves and no substance hanging on our branches. We don't want to turn out like the fruitless tree Jesus cursed! (Mark 11:13, 14)

We know better, so let's do better.

Verse of the Day: For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God... Colossians 1:9, 10

Carrying a Heavy Load?

Yesterday afternoon I had a wonderful time in prayer. I just sat and unburdened myself at His feet. It felt so good to just let it all go and give it to Him to handle.

The Bible tells us that we can give God our burdens, and He cares enough about us to carry them for us. Our heavy loads weigh nothing to God, and in His infinite wisdom He can solve any problem we have in less than a moment. We would be fretting for weeks.

Often we get so caught up in calling ourselves responsible, or trying to do it all, or thinking that we're so capable that we wind up carrying heavy loads that crush us. We pack our schedules til we're stressed. The cares of this world pile up and overwhelm us. Our sense of duty leaves us weary and worn.

But, we have a God who can handle all our burdens. More than that, He's willing to take all of them on His shoulders. He loves us with a love so deep that all we have to do is hand it over to Him, and He'll take care of it.

So, you don't have to worry or fret. You don't have to be stressed or overwhelmed. Your Heavenly Father is ready, willing and waiting to take on all of your concerns and cares. Just give them over to Him, allow Him to minister to you His love and rest, and follow whatever plans or steps He gives you to take.

Yep. It's that simple.

Isn't God amazing?!

Verses of the Day:
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28

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

Humility

God rewards those who are humble. There is an element in genuine humility that touches God's heart.

Jesus - even being King of Kings - allowed Himself to be humbled to come to earth in the form of a human being. While here, Jesus did not take on a spirit of pride or superiority, He remained humble enough to play with little children. He had a servant's heart and went as far as washing His disciples' feet.

With Jesus as our example, we too should be showing humility in all that we do.

None of us are better than any other person. We can't even comprehend the complexities and workings of our own bodies, so who are we to think that we are above anyone else?

The same God who created us created them. The same way we were offered salvation from sin, they are too. The same promises that we have in God's Word are left to others as well.

No matter how 'good' we may feel we are, no matter how much we may think we have done for the Kingdom, we still cannot come up to what we rightfully owe to the Lord. It is His all sufficient grace that covers us and makes us worthy to come before Him.

The spirit of pride is what caused satan to be cast out of God's presence. It was when he believed he was "better than" that he got into trouble. Don't let pride get you off track.

Yes, you are talented, purposed, beautiful, and gifted. Yet, you cannot forget that you didn't make yourself that way. Your Heavenly Father created you. He's the one that gave you your talents, gifts, and abilities. He's the one that's allowing your brain to continue to function so you can retain all the wisdom you have. He's the one that's guiding your footsteps and creating your great life in Him.

Don't fool yourself into thinking that you did anything alone. God has empowered you to get where you are and to go where you're going.

Stay humble. Remember who you are because of Christ, and allow that to inspire you forward.

Verse of the Day: A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit. Proverbs 29:23

God of Truth

God is the author of Truth. Every thing He does and every word He speaks reflects the Truth. There is no dishonest element in Him. God has used this Truth to help to free us from the bondage of sin, and has given us His Truth to live a life full of His blessings.

There are some things that God has spoken to you. He's shown you some things about yourself that are awesome, magnificent, and - maybe to you - unbelievable. Your purpose in Him is so great, your future so bright, that you may have a hard time reconciling that wondrous person with yourself.

I know God has imparted some things into my life that are at times hard to fathom. Don't get me wrong, I want to become this person that God has shown me I am. I want to do the awesome things that God has shown me in His plans. But, some of it is so great - I have a hard time wrapping my head around it all.

Yet, it's comforting to know that it is the Truth. God didn't just show me these things to tease me. God didn't give me a destiny for me to never reach it. It's not all just some magnificent dream or hope that I will never realize. It's real. As long as I stay in God's will and keep working His plan for my life, I will reach that place.

Those dreams, destinies, and purposes God has shown to you are the Truth too. He's not playing with your emotions or putting pipe dreams in you path. He has plans to get you there. He wants to get you into that magnificent place that's totally different from where you are right now.

Don't lose heart. Don't give in to unbelief. You can become all that God wants you to be. You can do all the things that He's shown to you. You can be that great person for Him. You can do great things for God's Kingdom.

Keep walking that path God has for you. You will reach your goals in Him. He wouldn't have shown it to you if it wasn't Truth.

Verse of the Day: God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? Numbers 23:19

Afternoon Ti: Thinking About This Homosexuality Thing...

So, I didn't want to give politics for our morning meditation. However, I could not help but be impacted by an announcement made by my President that's making headlines here in the United States.

As a Christian, I believe that homosexuality is wrong in the eyes of God. It's sin. I don't hate homosexuals - in fact, I have friends who are gay. I believe that all human beings deserve love and respect and the right to live their lives in peace.

However, I know that it is my responsibility as a Christian to point to Jesus, live my life in a way that is pleasing to God, and share the gospel with everyone. In sharing the gospel, I share my beliefs. In sharing my beliefs, I will undoubtedly offend someone else who does not share my beliefs.

As a minister of the gospel, I preach God's Word. In preaching God's Word I have to speak out against sin. All sin. But, it's one thing to preach against sin and another to set up laws that affect how a person lives their lives. In preaching against sin, I'm giving the person the decision to either serve God or do their own thing. It's up to them. In setting up laws, I'm either opening or closing a door that either frees up or hinders a person from doing something with their lives.

I know that God has placed His people in all areas of vocations within this nation. We sit on the highest courts and serve in the lowliest positions. We are teachers, lawyers, babysitters, maids, IT personnel, actors, pilots, you name it - a Christian's there.

But in our roles, is it our duty to allow our Christianity to influence our actions in our vocation? I mean, as long as something does not cause us to commit sin, should we care if it goes against our beliefs?

I'll give some examples:

• If I was a realtor, should I not take on clients who were looking for a house together that weren't married?
• Some pharmacists have already chosen to not sell contraception to women because they view it as going against Christian beliefs. Are they incorrect? Are they going overboard?
• Is it okay, as a teacher for me to teach the principles of Darwinism even though I know that the Creation story is the right one?
• As a politician, should I automatically vote according to my Christian values, or do I need to view the laws separately from my personal beliefs and vote according to the "best interests" of my constituents?

I don't claim to know all the answers. Just wanted to share my thoughts on the subject. I am definitely praying about this Obama thing. As much as I know homosexuality is wrong, is it unfair to bar them from the right to have a union in the same way a heterosexual couple is married?

I'd love to hear your thoughts and views on the subject.

Get Close

David is one of my favorite Biblical characters. Just looking at his life, you can see that he had a relationship with God. God wasn't just a great being off in the distance, David's faith wasn't just a set of rituals and rules he used to guide his life, David didn't just serve God because He was born into the Israelite nation. David knew God.

David spent time talking to God in prayer. He loved to sit and worship and sing songs to the Lord. David took the time to learn what God wanted from him and tried his best to live accordingly. Even when David sinned, he approached God with a contrite heart and repented (turned away) from his errors.

As a result, God blessed David immensely. He established David's throne, and even chose his bloodline to carry the seed of the Messiah. David's pursuit of the Lord caused favor to rest upon his life.

Forming a relationship with someone takes dedicated time. It doesn't just happen. It occurs after shared experiences, shared conversations, and even shared misunderstandings. It's funny, there are people - co-workers, fellow commuters, family members - who we may see and even speak to every day who we don't really have a relationship with.

We may share trivial stories or engage in the same activities, but we do not share a relationship. We keep certain things private. We don't invite those people to engage in more personal activities with us. We don't allow them to get to know that much or get that close to us.

Could it be that we do the same thing to God?

We may pray every day and even read His word. But do we engage in meaningful activity with Him? Do we have real conversations with Him, or do we just stick to the surface subjects? Do we withhold our inner feelings, fears, and questions from His heart? Do we take the time to dwell in His presence in praise and worship?

Like David, we should have a deep relationship with our Heavenly Father. If there is anyone we should be close to, it's our Lord. He's given us the privilege and the opportunity to get close. Why should we stand off away from Him then? Let's press in like David and get close to God!

Verse of the Day: When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek. Psalm 27:8

Studying to Show Myself Approved...

Hello All,

I took the day off to finish my research paper. I'm plugging away at the library thanking God that I get this chunk of time to focus.

I'll be back tomorrow!

Verse of the Day: Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15

God's Benefits

Today is a day for thanksgiving. Blessed be the name of the Lord! God is so good, and I just want to share the joy in my heart with all of you today.

This morning a Psalm was ringing in my spirit. It says, bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits... (Psalm 103:2) Have you really thought about the benefits that you receive from serving the Lord? Have you pondered on all of the things you are privy to as His beloved child?

I was thinking about them this morning.

Just being able to have joy in my heart and a smile on my lips is a benefit. There are so many people who have no joy. There are numerous folks who can't figure out a reason to smile or be happy. And not all of them are in trouble or facing problems. They simply don't have joy.

Or, how about the fact that we get the benefit of the Comforter, the Holy Spirit? When we have questions, are troubled, or need direction, He is there to help guide and direct us. He is there to help us understand the ways of God helping us to grow in our faith. All we have to do is make ourselves available to Him and the Holy Spirit is right there to gird us up.

We also get the benefit of prayer. We get to approach God's throne and talk about anything we want to. Large or small, pressing or seemingly 'unimportant', God is interested in it all. He hears us every time we speak to Him. Isn't that amazing?

What are some of the benefits that you enjoy about being a child of God? What things that He has given us do you hold most dear? Take some time today to give thanks to the Lord for His many blessings and benefits that He has granted to us His children.

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... Psalm 103:1, 2

Afternoon Ti: Do More Than Just Enough

The fields are ripe with harvest!
Let's get to work!

It's graduation season here at my school. And today I was running around getting things together to ensure that our Seniors have a happy matriculation with everything they need taken care of.

Walking through the school, you can tell that some of the students have already checked out. They're already acting as if they've gotten their diploma. They don't see the need to keep pushing or to try hard to finish strong. They're just coasting to the finish line. They're doing just enough to get by.

There are a few, however, who are still hard at work. These are the ones who've built a foundation of excellence and don't want to see their record smudged one iota. They don't care that they have accomplished enough, they want to exeed enough. These are the ones who I'm running around finding awards and other accolades to hand to them at the end of their journey.

We are on our own Christian journey in this life. Some of us are just coasting to get by. We see no point in striving to do more. We've accepted Jesus as our personal Savior. We know that we're getting into heaven. That's enough for us.

Then there are those of us who have chosen to do the work of the ministry as well. We are striving to do more for the Kingdom. We are building a foundation of excellence. We have sought out God's will for our lives, and we are doing all we can to live it. We've taken up Jesus' Great Commission and witness the gospel to those who need to hear it. We make sure to live our lives according to the principles and tenets set forth in God's Word.

As a result, we're seeing God's blessings flow in our lives. We're experiencing God's great love on a daily basis. We lack no good thing, and God's peace reigns in our hearts.

For those hard workers, can you imagine what God's got waiting for you in heaven? Can you even think of what God's waiting to award you with once you come before His eternal throne?

For those who are just coasting in your Christian life, why are you sitting on the sidelines? Are you serving justice to the great gift of salvation that you received? What do you think your Heavenly Father will say once you come before His eternal throne?

Let's all make sure that our work for the Kingdom is making our Father proud!

Verse of the Day: What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. James 2:14-17

Thanksgiving Friday!

It's Friday! Let's give God some praise and thanksgiving!

Today, I'm thankful for man's ability to communicate. I know it seems weird, but I am grateful for it. Just sitting down and talking with someone, sharing a conversation, learning something new... it's priceless. You can learn so much when you take the time to have a genuine exchange with someone.

I can only imagine what Jesus was able to share with His disciples in their private talks. Who knows what gems of wisdom and insight He was able to share? Even His casual conversation had to be filled with cherished words!

Make sure you take the time to engage someone in some real conversation this weekend. Share what's on your heart and listen to what's on theirs. You might learn something new, you might form a stronger bond, you might even gain a new friend.

I'm also thankful for this warm weather that's descending on Chicago. We were in limbo for a minute, but spring is finally peeking through! Last night was an amazing night where the rain just poured down! Perfect sleeping weather. Lord, thanks for the nice weather!

Lastly, I'm thankful for my family. This week I had two of my friends and close family lose a member of their family. One of them was younger than me. I always take these moments to remember that none of us are promised tomorrow. Have you shown love to those close to you this week? Don't let another day pass without getting in contact with them and sharing your love. Thank you, Lord, for blessing me with a wonderful circle of family and friends.

Have a blessed weekend!

Verse of the Day: Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely... Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains. Psalm 147:1, 8

National Day of Prayer

Hello Everyone! Today is the National Day of Prayer. One thing I am learning in my class this semester is that a lot of the things our nation was founded upon goes back to having freedoms with our spiritual lives. I'm so grateful to live in a country that allows me to worship God freely.

In the spirit of this day dedicated to prayer, I want to encourage you to make sure you talk to God today more than you usually do. If you pray once a day, try twice. If you do a morning and evening prayer, throw in a lunchtime one too. Just up the ante.

Some of you might even use this day as an open door to offer prayer to someone else: You know today is the National Day of Prayer. You want me to pray for you for anything? And then take them to the throne room. Right then and there.


Prayer is simply talking with God. It doesn't always have to be deep. It doesn't always have to be some super-spiritual ritual. It's just a conversation between you and your Creator. That's all.

Just make sure it's a conversation though. Don't do all the talking. Give the Lord a chance to reply. God desires to speak with us. He loves to interact and fellowship with His people. Don't let today pass by without spending some time talking to Him.

God Bless America!

Verse of the Day: But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me. Psalm 66:19, 20

Take A Moment For Joy

Today, I want to encourage you to do something to make yourself smile. Take a moment and give yourself some pleasure on purpose!

Last night I purposefully took some time to read a book. It wasn't for ministry, it wasn't for school, and it wasn't for self-help. I just started reading a novel because it is something that I love to do, and I haven't made time just to get lost in a book in a while. It was only about 30 minutes, but I enjoyed those 30 minutes!

Sometimes the cares of life can overtake us to where we are paying attention to things that need to get done, but we are missing out on the things we want to do. In everything there should be a balance.

Jesus made time to attend dinners and parties. He took time out to play with little children. He took time to Himself. He enjoyed His friends.

And He was still able to complete all that He was called to do.

Don't let your hard work kill your times of joy. Take some time to laugh, do something you love, and give yourself some pleasure.

It could be as simple as stopping to listen to the birds singing. It could be as big as taking a day off work just to be able to allow your brain to rest. You might want to visit that new restaurant that you've been passing by every day. Or maybe you want to go out for a few rounds of bowling. It might be something as simple as spending an afternoon with your child.

Whatever it is, take some time to enjoy your life! Don't let the days keep passing without you experiencing some joy. God wants you to enjoy your life. So, make some time to do so.

Verse of the Day: Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Psalm 16:11

Come Out of Dream Land!

All of us have dreams. We all have these scenarios that dance through our heads of things that we believe will make us exceptionally happy. Maybe it's getting a new job... It could be writing a novel... Somehow getting a whole lot of money, so we don't have to work... Or, maybe it's finally being able to fit into that size we've been chasing for years...

Many of us sit and mull over our dreams. We may even start planning and outline some action points for us to pursue. We might even start walking down the road to our goal.

Yet, so many of us lose steam and wind up giving up on our dreams. So many of us wind up never seeing the joy of fulfillment. So many of us look back with regret.

Today, I'm meditating on living the dream. And, you know what? Living the dream takes work. That's what stops a lot of us.

In order to get the new job, we've got to find it, send out our resume, interview, and secure it. Writing a novel means we have to take the time to write the novel. Money doesn't just fall out of the sky. Most of the time it comes from hard work and dedication to a great idea. Fitting into that size means we have to exercise and eat right.

So, a lot of us just default to regret. We give up and allow our dreams to remain dreams because it's too much work to make them real.

I don't want to wind up in regret. I'm sure you don't either. Let's all come out of dream land and make our dreams reality! Let's put our hands to the plow and work hard to achieve our visions of success!

Dreams can come true. Are you willing to put in the work to accomplish your dream?

Verse of the Day: Commit your actions to the LORD, and your plans will succeed. Proverbs 16:3 (NLT, emphasis added)