genuinely joyful

 Saturday, February 7, 2026 (5:52 a.m.)

Good morning Lord,

You’ve blessed me again. There was joy yesterday. A returning, renewed, sense of being genuinely joyful. Thank You Father.

Several days of working out in the yard finally yielded me the “Aha!” I’ve been missing for such a long time. That delight that once came so easily. It happened when I told You I was missing my grace.

Hearing it said out loud, I realized it’s not my grace I’ve missed. It's YOURS! Your grace which is sufficient for me. And Your power that is made strong in my weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).

In that moment I saw how far away I had gotten from my dependency on You. I’ve been so focused on wanting to stop the woes of the world from affecting me that I was sinking with despair.

Dwelling on mistakes made by myself and others only takes me deeper. Thank You Father for reminding me that what I need is “another grip of grace” [AGOG]. When I do, I truly become excited and eager to tell others of Your goodness, Your glory, Your greatness, Your grace (Psalm 145:5-8)

I had fallen hard back into the trap of believing it is up to me to make goodness happen. That’s YOUR job! Not mine. Thank You for reminding me Father.

As my brain started to shift again to the faults that ever surround us, I started repeating [and even singing out] “another grip of grace, another grip of grace…” Your grace IS sufficient for me! Your strength and power are made perfect in my weakness.

Father, I want to resemble the apostle Paul in declaring, “So I am happy [genuinely joyful!] to be proud about my weakness. Then I know that Christ's power will be with me” (2 Corinthians 12:9b).

Yes! Your grace and Christ’s power. Not manufactures by me!

Continue singing and speaking to me I pray. I am ever in need of another grip of grace!

Use me exactly as You alone know is best. I love, need, trust and want You, Blessed God. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(353 words ~ 7:36 a.m.)

God only knows...

 Friday, February 6, 2026 (4:58 a.m.)

Holy God,

Thank You.

The word curious was used to describe me yesterday. I admit I liked hearing it.

(5:24 a.m.)

Thank You again.

While reading about being curious with You a song started singing in my mind. Thank You for its quick identification.

♪…God Only Knows what you’ve been through

God only knows what they say about you

God only knows how it’s killing you

But there’s a kind of love that God only knows

…God only knows the real you♪

Thank You Father. You not only know the real me, You love me. In spite of myself.

(6:13 a.m.)

Lord, I’m curious about what You have planned for us today. And I’m asking (Matthew 7:7a) You to keep me connected to You every moment of the entire day. Reminding me that You know it all.

I love, need, trust and want You. Use me as You know is best. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(169 words ~ 6:31 a.m.)

tricking my brain

 ♪Holy, Holy Holy Lord God Almighty

Early in the morning our voices rise to Thee

Holy, holy, holy merciful and mighty

God in three Persons

Blessed Trinity♪

Thursday, February 5, 2026 (4:27 a.m.)

So I’m singing and saying the words I think will trick my brain to joyfulness.

Worldwide English (New Testament) tells us, “Do not be like the people of this world, but have a new mind. Then you prove for yourselves what God wants you to do. That will be good. It will please God. And it will be all right” (Romans 12:2).

Yes please. I want to please You Lord.

♪Blessed Assurance, Jesus is mine

He’s been my fourth man in the fire, time after time…

♪Perfect submission, all is at rest

I know the Author of tomorrow has ordered my steps…

♪I Trust in God, my Savior

The One who will never fail…♪

Here is where I confess to wanting to feel joyful again. 1 Thessalonians 5:16 says, “Always be joyful.” Being and feeling are two very different concepts.

Thank You that we have Your Word to teach and to guide us. I want to BE joyful Father. Maybe that in itself will trick my brain into feeling it more regularly..

I love, need, trust and want You Father. Use me exactly as You know is best.

Do all You must that I will truly “Always be joyful. Keep on praying. No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

No easy tasks. Yet Jesus, Himself said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible” (Matthew 19:26). And before Him, the angel Gabriel told Jesus' soon to be mother Mary, “For nothing is impossible with God” (Luke 1:37).

I trust You Lord. And here I resemble the father of the possessed boy Jesus helped (Mark 9:14-27). “I do believe, but help me not to doubt!” (V. 24).

Yes Father. Help me not to doubt! Thank You. Praise You. Joyfully. Amen.

(341 words ~ 5:45 a.m.)

"What's next, Papa?"

 Wednesday, February 4, 2026 (6:31 a.m.)

Good morning Lord,

I love You. Thank You for making that possible.

(6:55 a.m.)

How very grateful I am for Your love. And the presence of Your Holy Spirit.

The Message tells us, “This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It’s adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike “What’s next, Papa?” God’s Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who He is, and we know who we are: Father and children. And we know we are going to get what’s coming to us - an unbelievable inheritance! We go through exactly what Christ goes through. If we go through the hard times with Him, then we’re certainly going to go through the good times with Him!” (Romans 8:15-17).

Lord, I want to live as You designed. As Your very own child.

I am asking (Matthew 7:7a) You to show me exactly what this means. To truly be Your beloved daughter. Empower me with a “What’s next, Papa?” attitude.

I love, need, trust and want You. Use me exactly as You know is best. Following Your lead at every turn. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(206 words ~ 7:28 a.m.)

always something to praise

 Tuesday, February 3, 2026 (4:37 a.m.)

Holy God,

This IS the day You have made. I WILL rejoice and be glad in it (Psalm 118:24). I look to You to make that possible.

I confess to You the discontent and ungratefulness that have been taking up space in my mind. I slipped back into old patterns of fault-finding and complaining. I’m asking (Matthew 7:7a) Your help in bringing me back to thanking and praising.

♪I will enter Your gates with thanksgiving in my heart

I will enter Your courts with praise

(Psalm 100:4)

I will say, “This is the day that the Lord has made”

I will rejoice ‘cause He has made me glad♪

You HAVE made me glad Lord. Repeatedly. Time and again.

Thank You Father.

As I grumbled and griped around here again yesterday, trying desperately to figure out where my joy has gone, You reminded me about the seeds of hurt I have been sowing. Thank You God that Your Word (Hebrews 12:14-15) warns us against the root of bitterness springing up and causing trouble.

I further confess to You Dear Lord, the slights and offenses I have been collecting. And replaying. Ad infinitum. Over and over. In the most disparagingly endless loop.

Thank You for again reminding me of the importance of praise in every situation and condition. Yes, Father! There is always something to praise!

Forgive me for the time wasted in complaining. And plotting revenge of sorts. NOTHING good comes from repaying evil for evil (1 Peter 3:9a).

Father, thank You that we have Your Word. Thank You for Your call for us to: “Turn away from evil and do good. Work hard at living in peace with others” (v. 11).

Lord God, I love, need, trust and want You. Do all You must that I will forgive others as You have forgiven me (Matthew 6:12). Use me exactly as You know is best. Rejoicing and being glad. Thanking and praising. Recognizing and avoiding poisonous roots of bitterness (Hebrews 12:15). All the day long.

Thank You. Praise You. I love You. Amen.

(340 words ~ 5:45 a.m.)

Todo va a estar bien.

 Monday, February 2, 2026 (5:02 a.m.)

I ugly cried yesterday Lord. Repeatedly. Mournfully. Sobbingly.

(5:28 a.m.)

And then You reminded me. Like You did just now. With water metaphors. The importance of letting it out while staying calm.

Thank You God! Peace is washing over me. And a smile is growing. On my face. And in my heart.

Thank You. Yes. Thank You. Truly. Deeply. Eternally.

Whatever is going on within and around me, You’ve got this. And me! I don’t have to keep fighting the feelings. Judging them. Trying to make them pass. Or be different than they are.

I heard these words sung out on the radio yesterday. ♪Todo va a estar bien♪ [Be Alright]. And I believed them. ♪Everything will be alright♪ (1 Peter 5:10).

(5:53 a.m.)

Father, continue Your work in, with, by, through and for me. We’ve such a long way to go. Thank You that You are here with me. Every single step of the way.

Thank You that I can choose to let go. Breathe. Trust. Hope. 

I do not have to fear. Or be afraid. I can call upon Your name. And believe. Todo va a estar bien.

Do all You must Dearest Dad in using me exactly as You know is best. I love, need, trust and want You. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(215 words ~ 6:11 a.m.)

as You would have me love

 Sunday, February 1, 2026 (4:53 a.m.)

Holy God,

Thank You for Your love. Your patience. Kindness (1 Corinthians 13:4a). I want to learn to love as You would have me love.

(5:16 a.m.)

Yes Father. I want to love as YOU would have me love.

(5:45 a.m.)

Searching. Reading. Finding. Thinking. It truly all comes back to being fully connected to You.

(6:00 a.m.)

The Life Recovery Bible comment for Jesus’ example of prayer (Mark 1:35-39) encourages us to meditate on Your Word and pray for Your strength and wisdom. Yes please Father.

I have so much to learn. Prayers for others. Embracing Your grace. Being quick to forgive. All parts of Your design.

Continue Your endless work in, with, by, through and for me I ask (Matthew 7:7a). I love, need, trust and want You Dearest Lord.

Do all You must that I will worship, adore, glorify and enjoy You as You so rightly deserve. Learning to love as You would have me love. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(181 words ~ 6:20 a.m.)