Getting Up

This morning it was hard for me to get up out the bed. I hate it when I wake up and still feel tired. So I laid there. I laid there and thought about all the things I have to complete today. My mind started whizzing, and I wanted to go back further under my covers.

I took a break from analyzing my upcoming day and took a moment to pray. I prayed about my day. I prayed for strength. I prayed for the Lord's help.

And then I got up.

What's facing you today? What is piling up on your plate already and making your head spin? What is trying to keep you from moving forward?

Take a moment to pray. Ask the Lord for strength. Ask the Lord for help. And then get up and keep moving.

God is always there for you. He will lead you, guide you, strengthen and keep you. You're not facing anything alone. You don't have to do it all on your own. The Lord is there, ready and willing to help you. Whether your problems seem great or small, God wants to help carry you through it all.

Allow Him to keep you on today.

Verse of the Day: God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1

Let the Lord Fight For You

So many of us right now are facing battles and obstacles in our lives. Many of us are spending our days going through the motions of life while trying to figure out how to overcome roadblocks. We spend our nights lying in bed trying to figure out how to make ends meet. We can't relax because we are consumed with strategizing how to make things work.

Today I would like to encourage you to give it to God.

As believers in Christ, we don't have to allow the trials of life to overtake us. As joint heirs to the throne we don't have to figure out how to make things work. As children of the King of Kings we don't have to fight one battle in our own strength.

The Lord Himself has promised that He will fight for us. And any battle He fights, He has already won.

We don't have to struggle, stress, strategize, or worry. All we have to do is take our burdens to the Lord and leave them with Him. We have to leave them in His care trusting that He will work it out for us.

Too often, though we trust our own ability over the Lord's. We say we trust God to deliver us, but then we allow the discomfort of our situations to sway us. We take our eyes off of Him and start looking at the storms. We grow weary of standing on the Word and try to walk forward on our own strength.

Allow the Lord to be your fighter. Allow Him to be your deliverer. Give Him the opportunity to fulfill your miracle. Stop sabotaging your own breakthrough.

Yes, it may take more patience than you might expect. It may cause you to spend more time in prayer and fasting than you had anticipated. You may have to do some things that you weren't prepared to take on.

But the end result is victory! The final chapter is the fact that you win! It's guaranteed! Why not let God do His thing?

Today, give your battle to the Lord and leave it with Him. No matter how much you are tempted to take matters back into your own hands, use your faith and allow the Lord to work it all together for your good. It will definitely produce a better outcome than you can ever devise on your own.

Verse of the Day: The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace. Exodus 14:14

Give It Up Already

The Bible tells us to give our worries and problems over to God so that He can handle them for us.

A lot of us do bring our problems to God. We discuss them with Him during our prayer times. We ask Him for His help and guidance. We say amen...

And then we take our problems back on our shoulders and walk off wondering how we're going to make it all come together.

We serve a great big God. We serve a God who is all-seeing and all-knowing. He also loves us more than we could ever imagine. Why is it that we can't seem to fully trust Him to handle our problems? I know, to us they seem so big. But, to Him they are small potatoes! Yet we continue to hold on to our griefs and allow ourselves to worry and fret about how to resolve our problems.

The Lord doesn't want you to live in worry. He doesn't want you fearful or anxious. He doesn't want you going throughout your day stressed out. Jesus gave us His peace. (John 14:27) He assured us that His burden was light. Our Lord offered us perfect rest in Him. (Matthew 11:29, 30)

All we have to do is surrender. We just have to give up our need to control and be in charge. We need to surrender our will to the Lord's and trust that He is working it all out for us... even when we don't see it happening... even when we don't think it's coming together fast enough... even when the resolution is something that we ourselves didn't come up with.

We serve a great big God. We serve a God who loves us so much that He's willing to take on our problems and concerns. He's willing to fix things for us, so that we can live happily and at peace.

Too many of us are stressed out for no reason.

Today, take your concerns to God and leave them with Him. Allow your Heavenly Father to be that Father for you and solve your situations. Anything that He comes up with is much better than anything you yourself could have conceived. Trust Him to handle it.

Verse of the Day: Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. 1 Peter 5:6, 7

Know No Fear!

Yesterday I had the opportunity to encourage one of my friends who was going through a tough spot. I normally try to encourage those around me who need it, but this time I was especially motivated to say something because I saw my friend slipping too far into worry and fear. My friend was starting to stress out and I could see that the enemy was trying to lead them down into depression.

When trouble comes sometimes it's easy to just grab hold to fear, worry, and despair. We concentrate on what could go wrong, we start to fear that the worst could happen, and we stress out over the negative outcomes.

As believers in Christ, we should never give place to the enemy's suggestions! We should never entertain his lies or the fears he presents to our minds. Yes, we have to be practical in life and think ahead. Yet, with our relationship to the Lord, we should be thinking ahead with victory in mind! There is no reason for us to fear, worry, or get depressed. Even if the worst possible scenario does happen, God has us in the palm of His hand. He is still in control. We will still gain victory in the end.

Don't allow the 'what-ifs' of life to pull you down into a negative place. With God all things are possible! With Him, nothing can overtake you! Stop focusing on the negatives and start thinking on the positives! Everywhere you look there is evidence of God's love for you! Just being able to breathe in and out is evidence that He is keeping you.

Yes, things may be looking dark. I understand that the prognosis may actually be grim. It may seem like everything is going against you. But even if the only thing you have to hold onto is the fact that you are redeemed by Christ's love, that is more than the whole world against you!

Don't despair. God's got you. Rest in the strength of His embrace.

Verse of the Day: The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident. Psalm 27:1-3

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)

Attitude Adjustment Needed: Put It On Repeat...

So, this morning I was awakened early out of my sleep with a phone call about nothing. No emergency. No fire to put out. Just someone calling me because they were up already and felt like talking.

I am not a morning person. It takes a while for me to feel like myself at the start of the day. So, I was not in a good mood after receiving my early morning call.

From there, I got another phone call and some text messages that only added to my frustrations and work I had to do later in the day. Then I had to rush and take on an extra task that I was not planning to do. On top of that I had to come in to work and run around in circles trying to get things in place before the start of the day.

I was really on the way to being a grouch all day.

As I was walking through the hallway though, I became aware of my attitude and the nastiness I was feeling inside. I didn't like it.

Right then and there I said a prayer asking God for forgiveness and help. What I was experiencing wasn't that deep. I had no reason to be in such a foul mood, and I knew it. Today, I'm thankful that God is merciful. I certainly needed some mercy today.

So, I went back through my blog and found this post. Apparently, this is a test that I will continue to take until I pass. I'm reposting it because I clearly need to just pray today. Would you say a prayer for me too?

Thank you. :)

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Attitude Adjustment Needed!

So this morning I was in a funky mood. I woke up because of God's grace since my alarm certainly did not go off like it should have done. Then I forgot that I had to go get some gas before I started my commute to work, so I was about 10 minutes late getting on the expressway. The drizzling rain did not help lift my spirits at all (or move traffic along, for that matter).


I arrived to work with the work coming to greet me as soon as I walked in the door. I mean, can I get my coat off first, please? Yes, I was starting on work items - that weren't even my normal responsibilities - before I logged onto my computer. My bad attitude was turned all the way up. I was so not feeling today.

While doing the other person's job (they were blessed to be off today), I happened to ask one of my co-workers how they were doing just to make conversation. Listening to her response literally made me feel like the most ungrateful, selfish person on the planet.

In comparison to her, I was experiencing bliss! She was going through real issues and if anyone was entitled to be a little sour, it was her. Yet she still had a pleasant smile on her face. There was no trace of anger, attitude or crabbiness in her voice.

I immediately repented of my bad attitude and made an internal adjustment. Thinking about things later, I had to admit that I allowed that mood to overwhelm me. I woke up upset, but I didn't choose to put a stop to it and take on the joy of the Lord. Instead I wallowed in it, and probably made some room for it's growth as the morning went on.

So, I am going to work to give thanks in all things. Life is a blessing, and I should give praise at every opportunity. With all that Christ experienced and does for me, I should always strive to reflect His light no matter what's happening. How can I reach someone if I'm walking around wrapped up in a funky attitude?

Lord, help me to be a better person even when things don't go according to plan. Help me to realize that if it's happening, it's a part of your Master Plan. You still have everything under control, so I can just rest in You. Thank You for Your forgiveness and grace.

Verse of the Day: Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. James 1:2 (NLT)

**Did anyone else catch that I said I woke up because of God's grace, but I still had an attitude? Lord, help me!**

Solid Rock

Today... is a day.

I will lift up mine eyes to the hills from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord... (Psalm 121:1, 2) And I need that help today!

I pray all of you are having excellent days so far. Pray my strength...

God is good. Even in the midst of all of the busyness and things that have to be taken care of, God is still good.

It's nice to just take a minute and pause and think about the greatness of God! He is our rock in the midst of stormy seas. When everything around us is chaotic and troubled, we can cling to His steadfast love. It is so reassuring to have Him ever-present. It's heartening to know that no matter what or who starts acting up in our lives, our Father will remain steady, constant, and faithful.

When the disciples were on a boat that was being walloped by a severe storm, they feared that they were going to die. They were amazed that Jesus was resting peacefully on the boat. After they woke Him up, Jesus questioned their faith. And then He commanded the storm to cease. (Mark 4:36-41)

Don't forget Who's riding with you on your ship! The second you see God freak out - then you can freak out. As long as He is at peace, you can be at peace. And you already know God will never freak out. He will never be flustered, disoriented, or apprehensive. He knows it all, and He knows our glorious everlasting future.

Take heart. You are on solid ground. Things may be shaking, but you will not be destroyed.

Have a great day! (I know I feel better!)

Verse of the Day: Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. Hebrews 13:8

Plus One

There are many moments in life where you will feel all alone. Sometimes the trials of life, pressures of responsibility, confusion in communication, or other odd things can put us at odds with the world around us. Human beings have a way of pulling away from things that they don't understand.

Feeling like no one cares about you or that no one gets you is the worst feeling. You can't talk to anyone, and even if you try those people still don't get it. So, you're left on your own to yourself. You alone have to sift through your thoughts and find a way to make it through whatever it is you're facing.

But, what if I told you that you're not alone?

You aren't.

You have Someone who is always with you. And that Someone understands you and gets you. He identifies with everything you're facing, and He can help you make sense of it all.

You just have to turn to Him and allow Him to be there for you. His arms are already outstretched to you just waiting for you to embrace Him.

You're not alone. Even though man may have abandoned you on every side, Jesus is there regardless of what you've done, what you think, or what you're facing. He doesn't judge. He doesn't condescend.

He just loves.

Don't go through another day feeling lonely. Don't let yourself believe the lie that you have no one who cares about you.

There's Someone who cares. There's Someone who wants to help you. There's Someone who loves you so much. Let Him be there for you. You don't have to be alone.

Verse of the Day: ...lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Matthew 28:20b

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

No Worries!

Hey, Everyone! How are you doing this lovely Monday morning? It's so good to be back. I'm rested, relaxed, and refreshed! Jamaica was lovely, and I'm already thinking about the next girls' trip!

One thing I love about the people of Jamaica is their philosophy on life. I heard "No worries" and "No problem" all throughout my trip. As a person who is trying to get over all of my unnecessary analysis and thoughts that can go in endless circles, it was pleasant to just turn off that part of my brain and relax.

That was on vacation, though. Not sure how that will translate in my everyday life.

However, as believers, we honestly can stay free of worry and concern. Our Lord and Savior has our lives in the palm of His hand, and will not allow anything to occur that is not a part of His ultimate plan. As long as we are walking in sync with Him, we honestly have no reason to worry or fret.

The Lord has plans to bring us to an expected end. (Jeremiah 29:11) That means, no matter what, He will bring us to a place He has prepared for us to dwell in. Isn't that great? Our awesome God is thinking about how to bring us to His place of destiny, and He is moving things around to get us there!

So, no matter what, take on the "No worries" mentality. It's in God's hands, so you have great things ahead of you!

Verse of the Day: In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me. Psalm 56:4

Good Morning...

This morning was...a challenge.

I woke up earlier than I wanted to do and had to deal with something I really didn't want to.

What's funny is I spent time last night in prayer over that very thing, and there the problem was shaking me awake this morning.

I had to remind myself of God's faithfulness. I had to encourage myself in His love. And I had to tell the devil where to go.

At times like this I remember the Apostles and how they encountered persecution everywhere they went. Each city posed a threat to their lives. They were openly mocked, cast into prisons, beaten, whipped, and even put to death for what they believed in.

Still, they continued to preach the gospel. They continued to go into all the world and tell of Jesus' love. In the midst of their physical pain and emotional beatings, they continued to trust God. They continued to stand on the principles of Christ. They continued to choose to live out what Jesus profiled.

And here I am. Yes, my pain is real. Yes, my trials are distressing. But they are nowhere near what the Apostles faced. I have much more freedom and support in my endeavors. As they chose to continue to follow God in spite of what it looked like, I can choose to remain faithful to the God who is yet faithful to me.

Verse of the Day: We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. 2 Corinthians 4:8-10

Afternoon Ti: Strength in Weakness

Today was certainly a "Footprints in the Sand" kind of day. The Lord most certainly carried me through today. It's so great to know that I have such a strong Presence helping me along my journey. Thanks for your prayers!

When we are weak, He is strong. We just have to remember to lean back into His strong arms. Far too often when things get hard we scramble out of our Savior's arms trying to run around and fix things on our own. All we really need to do is trust His guidance and allow Him to take the lead in our affairs.

He will carry us through the greatest of trials and the hardest of challenges. When we are at our wit's end, He has not even scratched the depths of His wisdom. He sees the end from the beginning and knows the exact way we should go. It's up for us to look to God for the guidance we need.

Verse of the Day: And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. 2 Corinthians 12:9a

He Can Handle It

Please pray for your girl today. I am tired! I've kept waking up a couple times a night for the last few nights without being able to get back to sleep. Right now I'm counting down the hours til my lunch break, so I can go out to my car and get an hour's worth of sleep in.

Moving on...

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We are so blessed as children of God. We serve a God who is also our Father. As such, He takes a great interest in our well being, loves us, wants us to succeed, and helps us along the way. Our God is personal, caring about our every facet of life.

He cares so much that He told us to give Him our cares, and He would take care of them. (1 Peter 5:7) He doesn't want us walking around worried, insecure, or apprehensive. So, He will take any burden we carry off our hands. We just have to hand it over.

Are you carrying around any burdens? Is your heart sick with worry or fear?

There's no need for you to live that way. Your Heavenly Father will gladly take the load and remedy your situation. Why don't you give them over to Him?

Yes, you may have talked to God about it. You may have aired your issues and concerns in His ear. But did you leave your troubles with Him? Did you trust Him to take the information and figure it all out? Or did you pick up your burden again once you were finished speaking to continue to worry and fret about it?

We serve the God who holds all power in His hands! He knows the end from the beginning, and He can turn any situation around. Why not trust Him to handle your great quandaries?

We can only do so much. And what we can do is so very little. Give your burden to God. He won't leave you hanging. He won't forget you. He won't abandon you. He will answer your call.

Verse of the Day: He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. Psalm 91:15

Attitude Adjustment Needed!

So this morning I was in a funky mood. I woke up because of God's grace since my alarm certainly did not go off like it should have done. Then I forgot that I had to go get some gas before I started my commute to work, so I was about 10 minutes late getting on the expressway.  The drizzling rain did not help lift my spirits at all (or move traffic along, for that matter).

I arrived to work with the work coming to greet me as soon as I walked in the door. I mean, can I get my coat off first, please? Yes, I was starting on work items - that weren't even my normal responsibilities - before I logged onto my computer. My bad attitude was turned all the way up. I was so not feeling today.

While doing the other person's job (they were blessed to be off today), I happened to ask one of my co-workers how they were doing just to make conversation. Listening to her response literally made me  feel like the most ungrateful, selfish person on the planet.

In comparison to her, I was experiencing bliss! She was going through real issues and if anyone was entitled to be a little sour, it was her. Yet she still had a pleasant smile on her face. There was no trace of anger, attitude or crabbiness in her voice.

I immediately repented of my bad attitude and made an internal adjustment. Thinking about things later, I had to admit that I allowed that mood to overwhelm me. I woke up upset, but I didn't choose to put a stop to it and take on the joy of the Lord. Instead I wallowed in it, and probably made some room for it's growth as the morning went on.

So, I am going to work to give thanks in all things. Life is a blessing, and I  should give praise at every opportunity. With all that Christ experienced and does for me, I should always strive to reflect His light no matter what's happening. How can I reach someone if I'm walking around wrapped up in a funky attitude?

Lord, help me to be a better person even when things don't go according to plan. Help me to realize that if it's happening, it's a part of your Master Plan. You still have everything under control, so I can just rest in You. Thank You for Your forgiveness and grace.

Verse of the Day: Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. James 1:2 (NLT)

**Did anyone else catch that I said I woke up because of God's grace, but I still had an attitude? Lord, help me!**

A Promise is a Promise!

Okay, guys. I promised you an evening post… This is more like a nightcap though.


Right now I am on my GRIND. I am working hard to get my Masters in Christian Leadership.

So, my days consist of work – study on lunch – work – home – study – an hour to eat – bed – repeat.

Throw in my responsibilities as a Youth Leader, helping out with my dad, blogging, and other fun things around the way (currently I have a huge bag of laundry staring me in the face), and I have not really had time to sit and relax.

But I am working this hard because I have a goal in mind. I want to get this degree with a 4.0 average. And every ‘A’ makes the hard work seem effortless.

There are times in life where we have to square our shoulders, bow our heads and press in with gusto. Those times where we have to put blinders on, take on great sacrifice and get a long distance view in our eyesight.

In fact, our entire life is a press for the ultimate goal of making our Heavenly Father proud. Our times of denying our flesh, ignoring the world, and focusing in on living holy might be difficult at times. Yet, every blessing from God, every word that He shares with us, every insight into the mysteries of His Kingdom make the lifestyle easier.

So, keep on Grinding for Jesus! Keep the final goal in the forefront of your mind. The payoff will be more than worth it.

Good night!

Verse of the Day: I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:14

You Win!

It’s like the scene in The Lion King when Scar had Simba hanging over a cliff. Or the one in The Matrix when Neo appeared to be dead. We can even take it back to when Sho ‘Nuff held Leroy’s head under water in The Last Dragon.

All of these characters were at their breaking point. They were fighting their ultimate enemy and seemingly failing.

Right now you are in a battle. Maybe it feels like the ultimate fight. You are facing your greatest trial, and it seems like it’s going to win. Before you give in, let me remind you: You are more than a conqueror!

You are a child of the Great God! You were made in His image and likeness. He gave you the keys to the kingdom. He gave you power over the enemy. Use it!

Don’t believe the hype! Don’t believe the lies the devil’s whispering. If you have to close your eyes to how it looks, shut them tight! Hang in there! If God is for you, who can be against you?

You have to believe God’s Word and stand firm.

Grit your teeth and remember that at your greatest point of pressure, you are about to receive your greatest breakthrough. If you give in, you’ll never taste the thrill of victory and will have to settle for defeat. Why settle when God has already told you that you’re going to win?

So, jump back over the cliff like Simba, find a way to breathe again like Neo, and put on your spiritual “glow” like Leroy. Keep on fighting! You’re the hero in the story of your life! You Will Win!

Verse of the Day: …in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. Romans 8:37

Btw: I know I have to get some better movie examples. But it's the point that's important, people. The point!

Perpetual Prayer

This year is proving both exciting and challenging for me. I have so many great things on deck that I’m getting ready to start, yet I keep coming across situations that are throwing some wrenches in the game plan.


Despite my disappointment with having to deal with challenges, I am still kind of grateful for them. Coming up against blockages have pushed me to use more of my faith and recalled the scriptures I’ve been meditating on back to my memory. I have been using those verses to bolster my faith and encourage myself in the Lord.

I’ve also found myself conversing with God on a more regular basis throughout the day. I used to consider a time of prayer as shutting myself in my room and spending time in concentrated prayer for a significant period of time. Now I see that I am having constant talks with God as I encounter different situations.

I’m asking Him more questions on the spot, and I’m really listening for answers. I’m realizing now what the scripture meant that said to pray without ceasing. (I Thessalonians 5:17) In order to make it, you’ve got to have a continuous flow of prayer going!

I’m further realizing the value of staying in the word and prayer. You never know when you’re going to need a ready word, and there’s not always a Bible around as we go through the day. Yet we have the Holy Spirit to bring things back to our remembrance, and we should be using that privilege to the fullest!

So, don’t despair when you encounter challenges and difficulties, they are prime opportunities to exercise your faith and show you how much you’ve grown in God! Keep meditating on His Word and keep the lines of communication open between you and your Heavenly Father. You are still an Overcomer!

Verse of the Day: But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. Acts 6:4

Self-Check

Yesterday I had a moment. Someone got on my very last nerve, and I felt myself slippin’ over to the dark side. I literally had to walk away and take a stroll to calm myself down before I acted out of character. It’s been a minute since I’ve been that hot, and I knew that what I was feeling was not of God.

As I breathed and cleared my head, I had to check myself. I reminded myself of who I was in Christ. I remembered the stance I have chosen to take to live holy before the Lord. I considered what Jesus would have me to do in that situation. I prayed and asked the Lord for help.

Eventually I was able to calm down and get myself back to normal. Thanks be to God for keeping me from saying some things that I would have really regretted!

We all have moments where we can become irritated, frustrated, and even irate. In all things, however, we are to remain examples of the Children of God. God’s children don’t curse people out. They don’t throw temper tantrums. Christians aren’t supposed to cause disorder, or inflict harm on another person.

So, when we feel the rise of emotion – and you know you can feel yourself getting steamed – it is our responsibility to rein it in and ensure that our character continues to reflect the love of Jesus Christ.

Sometimes you have to check yourself. Don’t hesitate to give yourself the ‘talking to’ you know is in order. Remind yourself of who you are and Who you belong to. You can save yourself from a world of trouble.

Verse of the Day: Be ye angry, and sin not… Ephesians 4:26a

Why So Worried?

When you worry, you’re not trusting God.

I can’t remember where I originally heard this line, but last night as I was talking to a friend it came to my remembrance. This quote is so on point.

You cannot trust God and worry. There is no way the two can coexist. Trusting God means that whatever the problem or situation, we place full responsibility on God provide the remedy. We follow His lead; we act according to His game plan. We fully entrust Him to direct our life in that area.

Worry is when we take the problem upon ourselves to solve. Worry is turning over the problem in our minds, looking at all the angles and trying to figure out a solution. We go through every scenario, never fully satisfied with the outcome we envision. We mull over “what-ifs” and “maybes.” Our worrying only brings us stress and fear. Worry can also cause us to make unwise decisions which only lead to disaster and more worry.

As Christians, we are never to worry. We are the children of the Most High God! The Creator of the Universe, the Orchestrator of this World is our Father. He has vested interest in our well being. Whatever we come up against, He is able and willing to help us to overcome. We just have to trust Him enough to let Him handle it.

His remedy may not be what we had envisioned. His timing may not be the timeline we would like. Still, we have to continue to trust that God’s way is better than any solution we could come up with. We have to stay patient and accepting of His leadership. God will never steer us wrong, and He will never leave us hanging. So, stop all that worrying, and trust God!

Verse of the Day: Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. I Peter 5:6, 7

Give It To God

How many times have you gotten a great idea only to find yourself lose steam towards the middle and have the project fall apart? Or, how often do you find yourself begging God to pull you through something you undertook with great joy in the beginning?

A lot of the stress and anxiety we experience in life can be avoided simply by giving every detail of our lives over to the Lord. Think about it: How many projects, outings, or activities to you put in God’s hands? As Christians, we may ask God to bless our church endeavors or those things that have to do with our faith, but the Bible says that everything we do should be done to God’s glory. (Colossians 3:17)

So, before you embark on your day’s work today, take a moment and give everything you’re about to do to God. You’d be surprised at how much of a difference it can make. In addition to bright ideas and creative methods, you’ll have a greater sense of peace and less stress because you know that God is in control of it all.

Verse of the Day: Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established. Proverbs 16:3