opportunities to change

Saturday, March 30, 2019 (6:08 a.m.)

Blessed God,

Thank You that You are so good. You provide us opportunities. Opportunities for change.

Mm, yes Father. Opportunities for change.

Every moment we have choices. The things we think. See. Say. Do. Thank You Father.

Thank You that through the years You have allowed me to see and learn how these choices affect not only me, but those around me as well. Simple things really. Like which words to use. Even in my thinking.

I can choose to take a negative tone. Or positive. Build up. Or tear down.

Thank You Father. Thank You for the lessons You’ve had for me through the years. Lessons about managing my thoughts.

Blessed God, there is so very much for us to learn about how the very words we think color our choices. Your Word teaches us to ‘take our thoughts captive (2 Corinthians 10:5) to make them obedient to Christ.’ Thank You Father.

Thank You that Romans 12:2 tells us to “not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds…” And Paul’s words to the Philippians (4:8) shows us how.

“Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious - the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse.” Yes Father.

Thank You that there is a promise from Paul here. “Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into His most excellent harmonies” (v. 9).

Mm, yes Father. The opportunities You have provided for us to change has absolutely introduced me to Your excellent harmonies. Thank You Father. Use me in this. Helping others learn the importance of choosing and using our words wisely and well.

Be glorified and praised Dearest Lord. I love You. I need You. I choose You. I thank You. Amen.

(345 words ~ 7:17 a.m.)

every given day

Friday, March 29, 2019 (6:26 a.m.)

♪Holy, Holy… You are my everything And I will adore You♪

Good morning God. I like when songs of You sing to me. I also like when I can find the lyrics easily. Thank You Father.

♪Revelation Song♪ again. Holy, holy are You. Speak with me about the Truth and meaning of this.

From here I am singing the “girls” portion of Michael W. Smith’s ♪You Are Holy (Prince of Peace)♪ with tears in my eyes.

Blessed God You are so good to us. How I thank You for the many ways You speak to us through every given day. Mm, Lord. Guide and direct me into Your Word.

Given. Hmm… You have given us so very much. Far more than we can ever count. Father, thank You.

Still asking to be guided in Your Word, I find a site directing Believers in giving back to You. Every single day.

You have given us gifts to use for Your glory and the good of others. Talents? We each have them. We are to use time wisely. Prayerfully asking You to help us make each hour count.

Holy God, how I thank You that we get to choose to believe that You are good. Holy. Perfect. Yes!

Jeremiah 29:12 tells us that when we pray, you will listen. “If you look for me in earnest, you will find me when you seek me” (13). Thank You Father.

When I look at THE BOTTOM LINE for Jeremiah, the PURPOSE is “To warn the people of Judah to turn from sin and denial, and to obey God’s good plan for them.” Yes Father, how I long to obey Your good plan for me.

The KEY VERSE is listed as 15:16. “Your words are what sustain me. They bring me great joy and are my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, O LORD God Almighty.” And right there? ♪Revelation Song♪ begins again!

♪… You are my everything And I will adore You…♪ Thank You Father that we have this privilege.

And with this privilege again comes the call to give back to You. Our praise. Our worship. The best of our energy. And our enthusiasm. Yes please Father.

It has long been my quest to become a good steward of Your blessings. Continue Your work in me I pray. I love You so much. Let it be seen and known by others.

Thank You Father. I love You. Amen.

(415 words ~ 8:21 a.m.)

astound

Thursday, March 28, 2019 (6:59 a.m.)

Most Dear and Blessed God,

Thank You. Your love astounds me. Yes. Astound.

Just as I was preparing to ask You where in Your Word should I go, here is the answer. Psalm 100. It has it all. Five short verses. Starting with, “Shout with joy to the LORD, O earth!”

Yes! Oh Father how I do “Worship the LORD with gladness. Come before Him, singing with joy” (v. 2).

“Acknowledge that the LORD is God! He made us and we are His. We are His people, the sheep of His pasture” (3).

It is our love and trust in You that allows us to hope each and every day. Thank You Father.

The mere idea that we get to “Enter His gates with thanksgiving; go into His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and bless His name” (4) truly astounds me. The freedom that following You allows us is mind boggling.

Switching now to The Passion Translation, with what is called “A song for thanksgiving” I begin again at verse one. “Lift up a great shout of joy to the Lord! Go ahead and do it - everyone, everywhere!”

Yes Father. Everyone. Everywhere. Thank You for teaching us through these years of the importance of shouting to You with joy.

“As you serve Him, be glad and worship Him. Sing your way into His presence with joy!” Not a manufactured, this is the way we do it in church kind of thing. No. True, absolute, heartfelt rejoicing! Thank You Father.

“And realize what this really means - we have the privilege of worshiping the Lord our God. For He is our Creator and we belong to Him. We are the people of His pleasure.” Privilege! Honor. Pleasure. Yes Father, thank You for Your Truth. And Your call on our lives.

“You can pass through His open gates with the password of praise. Come right into His presence with thanksgiving. Come bring your thank offering to Him and affectionately bless His beautiful name!”

Cursing doesn’t get us there. Neither does grumbling, grousing nor record keeping of wrongs. Nope. It’s praise and thanksgiving that open the gates to You. Thank You Father for all You have done to make it so.

“For the Lord is always good and ready to receive you. He’s so loving that it will amaze you - so kind that it will astound you!” And it does! Truly.

“And He is famous for His faithfulness toward all. Everyone knows our God can be trusted, for He keeps His promises to every generation!” You are and You do. Thank You!

This is where I go back to The Life Recovery Bible and the comment I found there. “100:1-5 We always have reasons to rejoice:”

Even that Truth took me time to accept! When all is not to my liking I am still called to rejoice? I didn’t think so. What about when fear set in? Rejoice! Thank You Father.

“We live in God’s presence, under His continual care, and we experience His love each day.” Holy God, You remember how long it’s taken me to truly trust You. All those years ago when my level of authority was: earthly father, husband, Heavenly Father. In that order, with no willingness to change.

And then You shifted everything with me. Aligned my priorities with Yours. “Each time we come into His presence, our heart should be filled with gratitude and praise.” And it is! Because of Your astounding love for each of us.

“God never stops showering us with His love; He always keeps His promise to help us when we call on Him.” Take this RECOVERY COMMENTARY NOTE for example. You are Who brought me here to trusting and depending on You in the first place.

Thank You Father. Praise You!

Use me this day. Exactly as You know is best. To Your good and to Your glory. You know the prayers of my heart for those who are hurting and in desperate need of Your healing. Be exactly Who and All we are crying out for.

Oh how we love You. This I ask in Your Son’s most holy name. Thank You Father. I love You. Use me. Amen.

(709 words ~ 7:56 a.m.)

Perfect GOD

Wednesday, March 27, 2019 (7:37 a.m.)

Holy God,

Thank You that You are such a good God. Good. Holy. Loving. Kind. Perfect. Mm. Perfect.

(8:09 a.m.)

Thank You Father for the peace that comes when we are slowed to Your tempo. Not racing ahead. Or straggling behind. Whether sitting or walking with You my breathing slows. Mind reflects. Senses attune. To You.

Thank You God. Thank You.

I get to turn in Your Word. 1 John. Psalms. Deuteronomy. Revelation. I read of Your love. Perfection. Then the music starts. Slowly and softly at first. Almost imperceptible. As I recognize it’s Truth, I am covered with chills.

♪Worthy is the, Lamb who was slain Holy, Holy, is He Sing a new song, to Him who sits on Heaven’s Mercy Seat… Holy, Holy, Holy Is the Lord God Almighty Who was, and is, and is to come With all creation I sing: Praise to the King of Kings! You are my everything, And I will adore You… !♪ Revelation Song. Truth. Power. Promise. Hope. Thank You Father.

Thank You that because You are perfect we get to hope. Trust. Drop our misguided beliefs and hold fast to Your promises. Thank You Father.

Thank You for guiding my thoughts to You. Thank You for singing Your Truth deep into my very soul.

♪Clothed in rainbows, of living color Flashes of lightning, rolls of thunder Blessing and honor, strength and Glory and power be To You: the only wise King…♪ I consider the words as I sing them. Filled with such hope and Truth. Thank You Father.

♪Filled with wonder, Awestruck wonder At the mention of Your Name Jesus, Your Name is Power, Breath and Living Water Such a marvelous mystery♪ Yes! A marvelous mystery! Thank You Father.

I started by acknowledging Your perfection and here I am considering Your mystery. Thank You God. Nothing is as we think it. You know every single detail of all we don’t.

There is a surgery for a much loved one today. Be in every aspect of the process and the outcome. I pray YOUR will here. You are perfect. You know best. And You know Your plans (Jeremiah 29:11). I love and trust You.

Guide me this day. Direct me in doing all You desire for me. I love You Father. And I thank You, Perfect God. Amen.

(396 words ~ 8:52 a.m.)

child of God

Tuesday, March 26, 2019 (7:02 a.m.)

Blessed God,

I’m here. Seeking You. Your will. Your way.

I withdrew last night. Went back inside myself. Feelings got hurt. And here I am. Reaching out. To You.

You know me. None of this surprises You. Do all You must to speak Truth to my heart. Yes Father. It is Your Truth I seek.

I recognized it late last night. I am not trusting. I doubt. Suspect. And it scares me.

Forgive me Father. You charge us to be alert. Not afraid.

Thank You Father. Yes. Here it is. A genuine, heart felt thanks.

1 Peter 5:8. “Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the devil, your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour.” Right at this moment that could be me.

I slip further into doubting. Not trusting. Playing phrases over and over in my head.

And then comes Your Word. This from The Life Recovery Bible introduction for First Peter. “Peter’s audience was made up of hurting people.”

The PURPOSE of Peter’s letter to the Jewish Christians? “To show us how to live in a shattered and hopeless world.” With the KEY VERSE being 2:16, “You are not slaves; you are free. But your freedom is not an excuse to do evil. You are free to live as God’s slaves.”

(8:24 a.m.)

And here You are. Guiding. Directing. ♪You unravel me with a melody You surround me with a song Of deliverance from my enemies ’Til all my fears are gone♪ Yes Father. Thank You.

Looking to You, I am willing to trust. To share. Come out of my shell.

I love You God. Thank You that I get to say that. Thank You that truly ♪I’m no longer a slave to fear I am a child of God♪ Mm, yes! I am a child of God.

Think of it, we have the opportunity to ‘Give all our worries and cares to God, for He cares about what happens to us’ (v. 5:7). Illustrated Bible Handbook, “How good to know the release from anxiety which comes from the conviction that God cares for us (7).”

Yes Father. Release from anxiety. Thank You for Your hand in all of this. Thank You that we have You to turn to. Always.

Work in me this day Blessed God. In, with, by, through and for me. I feel especially fragile this morning.

Do all You know that is best in helping me sing, smile, stay my mind on You, and stretch. Loving You with all my heart, soul, mind and strength (Mark 12:30). All my passion, prayer, intelligence and energy (The Message).

Thank You. I love You. Use me. Amen.

(453 words ~ 8:47 a.m.)

motivation

Monday, March 25, 2019 (6:48 a.m.)

Most Blessed, Holy God,

Good morning. I love and thank You SO much!

There was a motivation that came over me yesterday. An absolute knowing of exactly what to do with a mess I had created and just left laying around for ten days.

Thank You Father. Even tapping out “ten days” right now reminded me of another much bigger mess I had created at the beginning of this year. Thank You Father! Thank You for the ways You work in each of us.

Thank You for the simplicity of just taking care of a problem that had seemed to grow larger than it actually was. Blessed God, You are so good. So incredibly good to us. Thank You.

Thank You that this morning I get to turn in Your Word and again it comes alive for me. Truly it cuts ‘deep into my innermost thoughts and desires, exposing me for what I really am’ (Hebrews 4:12b). Thank You Father.

This morning it’s Paul’s words to the Corinthians that are speaking loudest to me. “16:5-18 Throughout this letter Paul encouraged the Corinthians in their recovery and spiritual growth… There is always a balance between caring for the hurts and needs of others and being able to ask for what we need as well. Healthy relationships are characterized by this kind of balanced give and take” (comment; The Life Recovery Bible).

How true is Your Word Blessed God. True and current!

“Remember to stay alert and hold firmly to all you believe. Be mighty and full of courage. Let love and kindness be the motivation behind all you do” (1 Corinthians 16:13-14, The Passion Translation). Yes, Blessed God. Let love and kindness be my motivating factor this and every single day.

I love You so much. I felt Your prompt yesterday. An overwhelming sense of calm and matter-of-factness allowing me to see exactly what I had to do. Group this with that. Put this other there. Offer this book to that person. Easy peasy. And done. Thank You Lord.

Thank You that You are our God. Our Deliverer. Our Comforter. It is to You we get to turn. Always. Thank You Father.

Paul had said earlier in his writing (15:10) “… it is all because God poured out His special favor on me - and not without results.” I know this to be true in my own life. It is absolutely You working in, with, by, through and for me that I get to sit here right now. Smiling. Hope-filled. Grateful. Hmm…

The comment for this verse at the bottom of the page reminds us that it is Your grace that allows us every degree of our victories. “We must recognize that our success in recovery is from God. When we fail to give the credit to God for what has happened in our life, we negate our progress by forgetting the lessons of its earliest steps.”

Recovery IS hard work. It is “progress, not perfection”. And it is absolutely based on Your grace and Your desire to help us. Thank You for Your power and the willingness I had yesterday. Not only to hear, but to follow through as well.

Thank You Father. Praise You. We love You. Continue Your work in each of us. Exactly as You know is best. Thank You. Amen.

(566 words ~ 7:46 a.m.)

love changes everything

Sunday, March 24, 2019 (6:43 a.m.)

Holy God,

Thank You. A thought. A song. Your Truth. Then a smile.

Yes. ♪Love Changes Everything♪ It does. It has. And we are grateful.

Years of practice. Mm. ♪Yes, Love, Love changes everything♪ 

Surprisingly I find myself reading of Barnabas’ selfless love and generosity in Acts (4:32-37). Father God, thank You for the examples You provide us of believers who “were of one heart and mind” (v. 32a).

Blessed God, You are so good. Thank You that we are called to love and trust You. You teach us to value people more than things.

The more I read, the deeper Your Truth. Directed to The New Commandment (John 13:34-35) I find another smile. Illustrated Bible Handbook tells us that “living out a selfless love like that of Jesus, is beyond us. Only the coming of the Holy Spirit will lift Peter himself, or give you and me the ability to love others as Jesus has loved us.”

The Holy Spirit. Your love which truly changes everything.

Mm, yes Father. Guided now over to 2 Corinthians, chapters 8 and 9 I am reminded again of the importance of giving. Teach me here. No. Not just teach. Empower and enable me in Your art of giving. Yes please!

Your love Father. Your love that changes everything. I love You. Use me this day. Exactly as You know is best. Thank You. Amen.

(243 words ~ 8:02 a.m.)

every single day

Saturday, March 23, 2019 (7:03 a.m.)

Holy God,

Thank You!

I spend a lot of time in my head. Thinking. Wondering. Pondering. And then something comes along and snaps me into the present. Thank You Father.

Yesterday it was a beautiful blue jay. A complete surprise. Startling me back into awareness. Thank You God.

Thank You for the many things You bring into my life every single day that help me smile. Random sounds, like the pecking of that one particular bird yesterday, can both startle and delight me. Thank You.

Here again I get to choose. Choose to smile. Sing. Stretch. And stay my mind on You and the varying blessings You provide. Every single day.

Taking that phrase to Your Word, The Passion Translation to be exact, my heart practically explodes with hope. 2 Corinthians 4:16, “So no wonder we don’t give up. For even though our outer person gradually wears out, our inner being is renewed every single day.”

Yes Father. Every smile, every song of my soul, leads me back to contemplating Your blessings. Thank You.

As I follow this verse over to Illustrated Bible Handbook I am reminded to Never Lose Heart; 4:13-18. Blessed God, thank You. “Whatever troubles may come, Paul never loses heart. He knows that within, where none can see, God the Spirit is at work.”

Can we even imagine? Never losing heart?! Yes please Father. Continue Your holy work in each of us that we would truly come to trust and depend on You as You had originally designed us.

I love You Father. I need You. I ask You into this day. Surrounding and imbuing me with Your presence. Your wisdom. Your power. Your strength. Your love.

Yes Father. All this hope stemming from an unexpected, inspiring visit from a beautiful blue jay. Thank You God. I love You. Use me. Amen.

(317 words ~ 7:57 a.m.)

a grateful heart

Friday, March 22, 2019 (7:11 a.m.)

Holy God,

Thank You. Yes. Thank You that I get to come before You with a grateful heart. Mm, yes. A grateful heart.

Thank You that as we come before You we have choices. My original plan was to begin by bemoaning my recent careless approach to many details around here.

Instead, I chose a simple “Thank You.” Thank You for the gratitude that took over with that decision.

Father, You are so good. So holy. And right here (Psalm 138) I join David in his song to You.

“Thank You! Everything in me says, ‘Thank You!’ Angels listen as I sing my thanks… Thank You for Your love, thank You for Your faithfulness; Most holy is Your name, most holy is Your Word. The moment I called out, You stepped in; You made my life large with strength” (vs. 1-3).

Thank You Blessed God. Praise You. Thank You that Your love and provision do not change. You are good. Always! Thank You. Underneath all my distraction is a truly grateful heart.

Thank You for the smile that immediately appears every time I begin singing out ♪Give thanks with a grateful heart Give thanks to the Holy One Give thanks because He’s given Jesus Christ, His Son♪ We have the choice Father. Give thanks. Or complain.

Use me this day Holy God. Exactly as You know is best. Let the choices I make glorify Your goodness.

♪And now let the weak say, “I am strong” Let the poor say, “I am rich Because of what the Lord has done for us”♪ Yes Father. We are strong and rich in You.

Thank You. Praise You. I love You. Work in, with, by, through and for me this day. Exactly as You wish. Thank You. I love You. Amen.

(306 words ~ 8:09 a.m.)

Truth

Thursday, March 21, 2019 (6:54 a.m.)

Holy God,

It’s like a painting out there. Wispy clouds. Muted colors. Just enough intrigue to keep me checking. Thank You God.

I’ve been feeling off this week. Afraid [yep, there’s the word] to get my hopes up. Thank You Father. Even in this I get to be honest. Mm, yes. Sincere. Truthful.

Thank You Father. So often it isn’t until I drop my guard with You that the Truth comes out. Mm, yes. Truth. Thank You.

Yes Father. Thank You that we get to be truthful with You. You know us inside and out anyway. Why not just be honest with You?

There is so much devastation going on in the world that I truly want to avoid looking at it. Close myself off. Act as if. All the while knowing that this is not Your best for me.

Here I ask You to lead me in Your Truth. Use the fearfulness that I am confessing to Your good and to Your glory.

There is so much Truth and hope found in Your Word. Guide and direct me to where You would have me seeking this morning.

And here I am. Reading in John. First in chapter 17 (v. 17). Then 15. And 16. Sadness and hatred in the world is nothing new.

Thank You God that You ‘so love the world’ (John 3:16-ish). I intentionally left the ‘d’ off “loved” there. Then rushed to learn more.

There’s such a thing as “the present continuous tense” in the Greek language. Something I can barely wrap my head around and do NOT want to misinterpret. Again I find myself gaining hope. And joy.

Your Word is alive! Hebrews 4:12 tells us so. It’s “living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword” (Tree of Life Version). It’s present. Continuous.

We are not randomly here. We are not without hope. We can turn to Your Word. And trust. Believe. Stand firm. 

Reading around in Your Truth, I settle in at David’s words to You. Psalm 16:11. “You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of Your presence and the pleasures of living with You forever.” Thank You Father.

Yes. There are times that I feel absolutely petrified. Jesus spelled it out to His disciples. “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have over come the world” (John 16:33).

This is me. Taking heart. In the present continuous tense. And asking [present continuous tense] You to be with me. Every step of the way. In, with, by, through and for me.

Use me Father. To Your good. And to Your glory. I love You. Do all You must that I will be an accurate example of Your Truth. I love You God. We need You. Thank You. Amen.

(494 words ~ 8:16 a.m.)

finding hope; orchestrated by God

Wednesday, March 20, 2019 (7:21 a.m.)

Blessed, Holy God,

Thank You that You love us. We get to turn to Your Word. And find hope. Mm, yes. We look to You and find hope. Thank You Father.

We are blessed with friendships. Many orchestrated by You.

choosing to bless

Tuesday, March 19. 2019 (7:57 a.m.)

Most Holy God,

Thank You! I got to experience kind words and tones yesterday. An educator instructing first graders on the importance of the Golden Rule [found in Matthew 7:12]. Mm, yes. Thank You Father.

Thank You for the choices we have on every given day. Choosing to bless rather than curse. To hope instead of fear. Your Word speaks again and again about what we think and how we communicate it.

Thank You for those who are dedicated to helping others learn to express themselves lovingly. Carefully choosing words that will build, uplift and heal instead of hurt, tear down and destroy. Father, You are so good.

Words have such power. Thank You for the people You work in who become committed to encouraging others. Teaching. Learning. Choosing. To bless. To heal. To hope.

Thank You for the visual I saw yesterday using a large, red construction paper heart. With each positive word spoken the heart remained smooth and unchanged. Then came the careless, hurtful comments. Each one causing another wrinkle. Then a crumple. What a lesson Lord. Thank You for this teacher’s heart for those in attendance.

I love You. Use me this day. To bless, not curse. To help, not hurt. To uplift and encourage. I love You. Thank You. Amen.

(223 words ~ 9:09 a.m.)

sharing faith

Monday, March 18, 2019 (5:51 a.m.)

Holy God,

I prayed Your “peace that passes understanding” (Philippians 4:7) with a loved one yesterday. Drawn in by the poetic sentiment, the conversation became a bit strained when I cited book and verse.

Forgive me Father. My inability to effectively share the love, trust and hope I find only in You became immediately obvious. While I can readily offer prayer on another’s behalf, how do I learn to take that next step? How do I compellingly share the faith and hope I have in Your Son?

Thank You that Your Word speaks to this very Truth. The book of Colossians. Written “to show us that Christ is the only real source of power in our life” (The Life Recovery Bible THE BOTTOM LINE).

Turning to this book, reading the Truth of Your Word allows me to exhale fully and inhale deeply. ‘Devoting myself to prayer with an alert mind and thankful heart’ (Colossians 4:2) I ask You Father to teach me more.

Provide the words You would have me share. Make me a conduit of the hope we find only in You, Your Son and Your Holy Spirit.

I love You Father. I long to share the faith I have in Jesus. Honestly. Openly. Willingly. Freely. Effectively.

Let me not jump ahead of Your leading. Prepare me, here in Paul’s words, “that I will proclaim this message [of the mystery of Christ] as clearly as I should” (Colossians 4:4).

I love You. Use me. Exactly as You know is best. Here praying through the Holy Spirit who “helps us in our distress. For we don’t even now what we should pray for, nor how we should pray. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that can’t be expressed in words” (Romans 8:26).

I trust the groans of my heart and my soul on the behalf of others to reach Your ever watchful, faithful care. Thank You. I love You. We need You. Do all You must. Thank You. Amen.

(337 words ~ 7:25 a.m.)

more to learn

Sunday, March 17, 2019 (7:22 a.m.)

Blessed God,

How I thank You. You provide us such joy. And even with this Truth, there is so very much to learn.

Turning to Your Word, my first find is Galatians 5:22. With so many translation there is so very much more to learn. Thank You Father.

Yes thank You that we have the opportunity to learn more. More of what You have for us. Thank You God.

Looking into the various versions, a comment in The Voice teaches us “Paul has been preaching about the call of God to freedom, and so he now spells it out: we are done with the demands of the law; now we are free to live in the Spirit and to be truly right with God.” Oh, yes Blessed Father! We get to choose!

“As free people, the Spirit gives us the characteristics of Jesus; we, too, can freely love in joy and peace. We can have patience along with kindness and faithfulness that can only come from the Father. We can reflect the goodness of God while being gentle in operating with self-control. For those who follow Him and live in the Spirit, these characteristics or fruits are a gift from God. As we grow in the faith, we find that we belong to God and can walk daily in the Spirit.” How grateful I am for the freedom You provide us.

Yes Father. We have freedom in You. Please continue teaching us to use it well.

I love You. I thank You. And I ask You to do exactly all You know is best this day. Thank You, Father. I love You. Amen.

(280 words ~ 8:46 a.m.)

M.A.G.I.C.

Saturday, March 16, 2019 (6:19 a.m.)

Holy God,

Thank You. I got to wake up again with music. This morning, seemingly out of nowhere, ♪Oh, ho, ho it’s magic, you know Never believe it’s not so♪ continues singing over and over in my mind.

Just as an experiment I hope to sing it throughout the day. Remembering my own spin on the word. Mercy And Grace In Christ. ♪Oh, ho, ho it’s M.A.G.I.C. you know Never believe it’s not so♪

Yes please Father. There is a lot of solo travel intended for today. Other big ideas throughout this week have not gone anywhere near as planned. As I came to remember the other day while things may not go the way I want I can choose to “rejoice and be delighted”.

Yes. This is my prayer for this day. I long to be kept safe in You. Intently aware of the Mercy And Grace [we have] In Christ. 

You call us to “give thanks in all things”. As I look to Your Word for this Truth I find 1 Thessalonians 5:18 and Ephesians 5:20. Turning to each, I smile and nod. Father thank You for speaking loudly to my heart and to my soul.

Ephesians 5:18b “Instead [of being drunk with wine] let the Holy Spirit fill and control you. Then you will sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, making music to the Lord in your hearts. And you will always give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Oh yes Blessed Father. Rejoicing. Being delighted. Making music in my heart. Thank You Father. Do all You must with me this day. Keeping me aware of the Mercy And Grace [we have] In Christ.

I love You. Thank You. Amen.

(310 words ~ 7:09 a.m.)

seeking rest

Friday, March 15, 2019 (7:00 a.m.)

Holy, Holy God,

Good morning. I love You. Guide and direct my searching and seeking this morning.

I confess to attempting to avoid my own feelings these past two days. Challenges. Tension. And random disappointments have resulted in clutter starting to take over my resolve to have a place for everything and everything in its place.

Blessed God, how I thank You for loving us so much. Because of Your perfect love I get to not only come to You with sadness but also with expectation. Yes Father. 

Thank You that I have come to depend on You to be able to align my will to Your way. Yes Father. The tension I am still holding in my body is a physical reminder of all the unmet expectations I have yet to release to You.

Forgive me Father. I know You to be my rest and my Redeemer. Ah, here it is. “Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light’ ” (Matthew 11:28-30).

Yes, Blessed Jesus, yes!

I am feeling exhausted. Depleted. Drained. I want so very much for others. YOU are able! You do all You know is best.

I love You so much. I know what it is to be loved by You and I am grateful. I want this to be true for my loved ones. Thank You that we have You to turn to.

Getting ready to go out into this day I ask You to go before, behind, beside, beneath, above and within us. Completely encompassing us in Your safe keeping. Allowing us to rest in Jesus’ gentle care.

Thank You Father. Confessing and releasing my hopes and expectations to You enables and empowers me to settle in to Your protective keeping. Thank You Father. Praise You. Use me this day exactly as You know is best. Thank You. I love You. Amen.

(366 words ~ 8:21 a.m.)

delighted

Thursday, March 14, 2019 (6:21 a.m.)

Holy God,

Thank You. Sleep. Rest. Irritation. Oh, how did that slip in?

Yes Father. Things have not been going as planned. At all.

We’ve ‘relaxed and been amused’. Anticipated with an alternative. Rolled with the punches. All those clever attempts to change my outlook.

And now? A slight smile. A sense of peacefulness. Why? The antonym of irritation. Delight!

Mm, yes Father. What a joy and delight it is to turn our attention to You. Yes. Thank You God. 

Let the word I choose to describe myself and the circumstances of this day contain delight. Yep! Here it is. Found in The Message.

“Blessed are the people who know the passwords of praise, who shout on parade in the bright presence of GOD. Delighted, they dance all day long, they know who You are, what You do - they can’t keep quiet! Your vibrant beauty has gotten inside us - You’ve been so good to us! We’re walking on air! All we are and have we owe to GOD, Holy God of Israel, our King!” (Psalm 89:15-18).

Yes Father! Blessed and happy are we.

The Truth of The Life Recovery Bible comment fits me perfectly this morning. “89:11-18 God created and sustains everything that exists. He is extremely powerful, and He displays righteousness, truth, justice and unfailing love. When we are powerless, it only makes sense to turn to God. He has the power we need to overcome our dependencies. As we remain close to Him and do His will, we will experience deliverance and discover true freedom.”

Amen, Blessed God. Amen!

Plans are going to change. Circumstances are not always going to be to my liking. And You will always be good (Psalm 106:1). All the time. Thank You for Your Truth. And Your reminders of them.

Because of the very first words of Psalm 89:1, I am singing what I pray will be my theme song for the day. ♪I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever I will sing, I will sing… With my mouth will I make known Thy faithfulness… Thy faithfulness to all generations♪

Yes please Father. Because of Your faithfulness, Jesus’ blood, and the presence of the Holy Spirit I get to sing of Your mercies and be delighted. Thank You!

Use me this day. Exactly as You know is best. Empower me in learning to truly “Rejoice and be delighted!” regardless of circumstances. At Your will. And at Your ready.

I love You. I long to serve You. And I thank You. Amen.

(425 words ~ 7:16 a.m. )

life lesson

Wednesday, March 13, 2019 (5:54a.m.)

(6:34 a.m.)

What a morning. Unexpected rain. Laziness. Inattention. Wonders.

Deep inhale. Longer exhale. More wondering.

Good morning Father. Guide and direct my thoughts, won’t You?

Hmm… yes. Thoughts. Thinking.

Last night and again this morning I had the choice of remembering something funny over something sad. Thank You that I chose funny. Even now, a slight smile. Thank You Father.

(6:57 a.m.)

Blessed God,

We were reminded yesterday of the importance of praying for pastors. Thank You for Your reminders. Yes Father, You give us mental notes. Which right there makes me think of the term I heard myself say the other day.

“Life lesson”. Learning experience. Much more positive ways of looking at what was once considered just a plain mistake.

Father, thank You that You allow us to make our choices. Suffer the consequences. Learn our lessons. And move on.

(10:27 a.m.)

And here was another lesson. Father, I just became aware again of how quickly my mind gets set on one certain thought. Lord help me learn to really, truly listen to what is being told to me.

such freedom

Tuesday, March 12, 2019 (8:21 a.m.)

Blessed God,

I love You. Thank You for the freedom we have in loving and being loved by You.

(8:52 a.m.)

Oh yes Most Blessed God. You provide us such freedom. Such joy.

(9:26 a.m.)

We are so blessed to be loved by You. And in Your love and blessings, again we find such freedom.

Reading in Illustrated Bible Handbook I get to learn of Satan and the Believer. Thank You Father.

(10:26 a.m.)

And here I am again. Having taken thoughts of You with me into the unexpected phone call and other interruptions that have interfered with our time together. Thank You for the opportunity to come back.

Again to Satan and the Believer, “An important NT teaching tells us that satan is now a defeated enemy (Col. 2:13-15; Heb. 2:14,15). By faith in Jesus, we claim His victory over satan (1 John 4:4; Rev. 12:11).” This is Truth worth knowing and remembering!

“… Our relationship with God does mean that we are safe from satan and possess all the resources needed to defeat him. But it does not mean that we are immune to satanic attacks.” Father it is so important for us to be reminded of the power and the strength we have that comes only from You (Ephesians 6:10).

Because of Your love for us we are warned to be on alert for the attacks from the evil one (1 Peter 5:8). But never are we to be afraid. Jesus holds us securely (1 John 5:18b) “and the evil one cannot get his hands on them” (18c).

That’s freedom! Not to be taken lightly. Nor exploited. But used. To Your good and to Your glory. Your Word opens us up to live each day with such freedom. Use me as only You know is best.

I love You. And how I thank You for first loving me (1 John 4:10; 19). Live in, with, by, through and for me this day. Praise You. Thank You. Amen.

(350 words ~ 10:49 a.m.)

Immensely!

Monday, March 11, 2019 (6:29 a.m.)

Blessed God,

Thank You. Sleep did not come easily last night and into this morning. But it did come. And for that I am immensely grateful.

There’s a word I thought I hadn’t prayed to You before. Immensely. Turns out, I have. Yet this morning it seems brand new to me. Thank You for that, Father.

Yes Father, thank You that in and with You I encounter such newness. Lead and guide me this morning. Where in Your Word shall we go together?

A psalm of David. Number 25. Written at a time when he was “alone and in deep distress” (v.16). Yet he knew and trusted You (1). Thank You for another of his examples.

Yes, Father, how I thank You for the examples of another. It is by witnessing the experience, strength and hope of others that I find the courage to change. Thank You Father. Yes. Thank You.

As David had appealed to You for help, he was “confident that one who follows the Lord will find release” (Illustrated Bible Handbook). Thank You for his trust in You Dearest Lord.

David’s words [rephrased in The Message] tell us, “IMMENSELY good and honorable is the Eternal; that’s why He teaches sinners the way. With JUSTICE, He directs the humble in all that is right, and He shows them His way” (vs. 8-9).

Use me this day. Exactly as You know is best. I love You. I trust You. I need You. I want You. And I thank You. Immensely! Amen.

(262 words ~ 7:51 a.m.)

sunrise glory

Sunday, March 10, 2019 (6:56 a.m.)

Most Blessed Holy God,

Thank You for smiles. Oh Your goodness! Yes! Thank You for smiles.

Yes Father. Being aware of how many times I've already smiled this morning I went straight to Your Word. Isaiah 60:1-7. Amazing! You absolutely never cease to amaze me God!

I don’t even have the words. One minute I’m looking outside at a rather dreary looking sky. And the next? I’m jumping up to go out and witness it more completely. Thank You Father. Yes. Thank You!

It’s Your Word that caused me to look out again. Jaw dropping beauty. Stunningly gorgeous!

“Get out of bed, Jerusalem! Wake up. Put your face in the sunlight. GOD’s bright glory has risen for you. The whole earth is wrapped in darkness, all people sunk in deep darkness, But GOD rises on you, His sunrise glory breaks over you” (Isaiah 60:1-2).

So I looked up. And there it was. Your sunrise glory. Amazing, Father. Absolutely amazing!

“Look up! Look around!… you’ll smile - big smiles! Your heart will swell and, yes, burst!” (vs. 4-5). I love it when I experience Your Word in such an incredibly personal way. Thank You Father.

Oh look. Here’s another [or is it still the same?] smile. Hmm... Thank You.

Yes. Thank You Father for Your Word of hope. Illustrated Bible Handbook tells of The Restoration of Mankind (Isaiah 60-66).

Here we get to read of “an exalted vision of the distant future. When God’s purposes are finally achieved in history [and] all will be set right. Then the blessings God has yearned to pour out on humanity will flood the heavens and the earth.”

Blessed God, thank You so much. Thank You that a simple smile can take me so many places in Your Word and provide me such hope.

“Chapter 60. The Glory Unveiled Isaiah sees the dark clouds that cover the earth burned away by the light of God’s glory (1-3). All will lift their dulled eyes to look around in amazement, as their hearts throb with joy (4-7).”

I just now experienced one little piece of that! The words I couldn’t find earlier are exactly this. Dulled eyes looking around in amazement. Hearts throbbing with joy. Hope. Thank You Father.

And now? The Life Recovery Bible comment. “60:1-3 God’s people are called to let their light shine to the nations. God wants to transform all of us and use us to bring His Truth to others.” Father, this is what I long to do!

“We are reminded of Step Twelve, which says that an important part of recovery is sharing our life as living proof that recovery is possible with God’s help.” My living proof came once again by way of Your sunrise glory!

Thank You Father. Use me this day exactly as You know is best. Thank You. Praise You. I love You. Amen.

(483 words ~ 7:53 a.m.)

joy in the Lord

Saturday, March 9, 2019 (6:26 a.m.)

Blessed Holy God,

Thank You. Thank You for the joy we find in You. Yes Father. We find joy in You.

As I turn to Your Word to learn more of the joy we have in You a song keeps singing to me. Thank You for the ease with which I found the lyrics.

♪Let the glory of the Lord rise among us… Let the praises of our King rise among us Let it rise Oh, let it rise♪

Blessed God, I love the way songs sing their way into my heart. My soul. And my mind. Consciously choosing to put my mind on You bypasses so many of the problems of this world. Thank You Father.

Thank You that as I continue singing I find the phrase that initially caused the search. ♪Let the songs of the Lord rise among us… Let the joy of our King rise among us♪ Yes Father! ♪Let it rise Oh, let it rise♪

The smile on my face matches the one in my heart. Peaceful. Joyful. Grateful.

Yes Father. The joy I experience is chosen. You teach us how to make these choices. I ask You to continue Your fine, good work in each of us.

We love You. We long to serve You. And we seek Your will as well as Your joy this day. Thank You Father. Amen.

(238 words ~ 7:56 a.m.)

love and gratefulness

Friday, March 8, 2019 (5:25 a.m.)

Most Blessed, Holy God,

Good morning. And thank You.

I have people in this world that care about me. And with that said, “such a great cloud of witnesses” (Hebrews 12:1) immediately comes to mind.

Blessed God, how grateful I am to have Your Word. Your Truth. Your wisdom and guidance spelled out for us. Thank You Father. Truly.

My inability to accurately express my heart and thoughts with You continues to be brought to my attention. Father, I am asking Your will and Your way here. The freedom I have of believing You to know me so well confuses others. Guide and lead me in this I pray.

Being able to turn in Your Word and read the history of other believers empowers and strengthens me. The peace and hope I find in believing and trusting in You is what I long to share wholeheartedly with others. Direct me Father.

The love and gratefulness I have in and for You is paramount Dear Lord. The love You provide to each and every single one of us. Your love, spelled out in detail throughout Your Word.

Thank You for the changes You have brought to my life. Changes that help us grow. Changes stemming from the challenges we encounter.

Turning to Your examples of faith (Hebrews 11) and discipline (chapter 12) I rest again at Hebrews 12:1. Considering the crowd of witnesses You have cheering us on. Words of encouragement expound and I smile.

The Life Recovery Bible likens this section to the ancient Olympic games. “In Bible times men wore flowing robes. Before an event, the athletes would strip off their robes and lay them aside to run without encumbrances. If someone tried to compete in his robe, he would get tangled up, losing both the race and the prize.”

Father, I am surrounded by hurting family and friends. Physically. Emotionally. Mentally. And spiritually. How I ask that You enable and empower all of us in stripping off “every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us” (v. 1).

And here, the final paragraph of the devotional for verses 1-4. “It is God’s will for us to win the race of life. The robe of our recurring sins needs to be laid aside. There will be pain from the exertion, but we are told to pace ourself and bear the pain with patience. And remember, others who have run the same race and finished well are cheering us on!” It is You Who provides us the patience we need Blessed God.

Father, You are so good. So loving. So kind. I long to live this day in love and gratefulness to Who and all You are. Do all You must to this end. I love You. And thank You. Amen.

(491 words ~ 6:44 a.m.)

do all You must

Thursday, March 7, 2019 (6:20 a.m.)

Most Holy God,

Good morning. Thank You. Yes thank You Father.

I have a true sense of peace about me. I was drawn to the Truth of Acts 20:24 the other evening. Looking into it right now I ask Your guidance and understanding.

The apostle Paul acknowledged being “irresistibly drawn by the Holy Spirit” (V. 22) to Jerusalem, not knowing what awaited him, “except that the Holy Spirit has told me in city after city that jail and suffering lie ahead” (23). What an example for us Father! Thank You.

I read of Paul’s experiences and automatically link them to THE TWELVE STEPS with which I am familiar. Step 11 particularly comes to mind here.

“Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.” Paul demonstrates his willingness to obey You time and again.

The verse (24) to which I initially turned has me visiting Step 12 as well. Fully aware of the dangers and unknowns that lie ahead of him Paul confidently stayed true to the Holy Spirit’s leading.

“But my life is worth nothing unless I use it for doing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus - the work of telling others the Good News about God’s wonderful kindness and love.” Father, I want to live my life with that kind of abandon.

Step 12, “Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message [YOUR Message!] to others and to practice these principles in all our affairs.” Yes, please, Father.

You are indeed good. Holy. Worthy. Do all You must in making me the woman You created me to be.

I love You. I long to serve You as only You know is best. Do all You must to this end. Thank You. I love You. Amen.

(329 words ~ 7:06 a.m.)

attending

Ash Wednesday, March 6, 2019 (5:55 a.m.)

Blessed, Holy God,

Thank You for another rainy day. Thank You for the shelter we have against the elements. How I ask Your blessings and mercies on those being negatively affected by the weather.

Holy God, here once more I chide myself for being aware of problems without taken action. Talk with me concerning where You would have me put my focus.

Yes Father. Direct my attention to the areas You would have me explore.

Today we begin the season of Lent. A time of preparation. Self-reflection. And repentance. Work in and with us these next 40 weekdays.

You are so good. I long to live and to love as You would have me.

A United Methodist topical search concerning Lent teaches it as a time “when we seek to literally ‘turn around’ and realign our lives and focus toward God. It is a time to give up things as well as take on new life-giving practices, helping us rid ourselves of distractions and our own selfish desires. By doing so, we seek to live and love as more faithful disciples of Jesus Christ.” Yes please Father.

While walking the dog yesterday I found myself truly attending to many of the moments I was experiencing. Not thinking ahead of what was to come. Nor ruminating over what had already been. Actually being aware of where I was. Genuinely there in each moment.

Thank You for that experience Father. This Lenten Season I ask that You will teach me the importance of honestly attending, truly being present at the times You provide us.

I tend to get easily distracted. I long to learn to focus on what You have for us each day. Giving up eating in the living room until Easter and walking the dog as many days as possible are only two ways I am hoping to experience more of You.

Thank You for this time together Father. I love You. Use me as You know is best. Thank You. Amen.

(343 words ~ 6:56 a.m.)

one-of-a-kind

“Fat” Tuesday, March 5, 2019 (8:30 a.m.)

Blessed, Holy God,

It’s such a different morning. Asleep until after the sun shone. A very detailed dream. An unexpected phone call. Not our usual start to the day.

(8:57 a.m.)

Yes Father. Different. Unusual. Unique. One of a kind. Words that have come to define describe me these past few weeks. Thank You Father. Yes. Thank You.

Thank You for the smile that continues breaking through. It’s a brand new day. One of a kind. Out of the ordinary. How I ask You to use it to Your best. To Your good. And to Your glory.

How I thank You Father. For taking a seemingly crazy dream and turning it into fond memories. Along with a sense of awe. A reminder of the possibilities that each day holds.

I didn’t plan to come before You with such a wide scope of potential topics. Thank You for narrowing them all down to Jesus’ one-of-a-kindness, found in John 1:14-18.

Here we are introduced to “The true light of the world… Jesus Christ, who was full of God’s unfailing love and faithfulness” (The Life Recovery Bible comment). Thank you Father.

Illustrated Bible Handbook tells us, “Through incarnation He [Jesus] communicates God’s glory in an entirely new way.” Different. Unique. One-of-a-kind. Praise You!

“Through Jesus, who was both fully God and fully human, we can know what God is like and enjoy a relationship with Him. Jesus Christ came to bring us God’s unfailing love and forgiveness and to reveal God’s faithfulness to us” (TLRB). Holy God, how truly grateful we are!

“God’s forgiving grace says, ‘I forgive you for your wrongs; I love and accept you freely for the person you are.’ His faithfulness says, ‘I will follow through on all I have promised’ ” (TLRB). Praise You. Thank You. Use me this brand new day as only You know is best.

I love You. I need You. I trust You. And I ask You to continue Your work in me as only You can. Uniquely. Unusually. In Your truly one-of-a-kind way. I love You Father. Thank You. Amen.

(368 words ~ 10:00 a.m.)

"Amen! Come Lord Jesus!"

Monday, March 4, 2019 (5:44 a.m.)

Blessed God,

Thank You. Romans 3:24. I’ve been thinking about it since 12:15. Now I’m even singing 

(6:12 a.m.)

And here I am switching gears. Frustration followed not being able to find the lyrics to ♪Take the gift, take the gift, take the gift, It’s free♪ To the point that I slid right into searching other things on the internet.

Father, I’m asking You to put my focus back on You. There’s this huge struggle with disappointment that I’m dealing with.

Not because of the song. Just overall. A disconnect. A sadness. I don’t know what to do with it.

Taking a big exhalation I’m going to lie down and see what happens. Forgive me Father. I really don’t know what’s going on with me.

(6:49 a.m.)

And here I am. Back with a different perspective. I can wonder. And work. And spin myself in various directions. Or I can sit. Rest. Wait upon You. Thank You God.

Yes Father. Thank You for settling my soul. My heart. My mind. 

Sitting with You. Exhaling deeply. And choosing to trust.

I don’t need to know all the things I wonder about. I need to know and trust You. I can find peace when I invite You in to the chaos that swirls deep within my being.

Thank You Jesus. Thank You that while I don’t understand so much that happens in this world I can choose to rest and trust in You. I can believe in Your return. Not needing to know when. Just trusting that You will indeed come again.

Thank You Father. Thank You Son. Thank You Holy Spirit. You know all that is needed for this day. I am willing to trust You in it.

While the smile on my face is faint, I feel it deeply. Thank You. This is my wholehearted worship to You. I rest. I trust. And I plead, “Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20b).

Yes. I love You. Thank You. Amen.

(341 words ~ 7:20 a.m.)