recognizing joy

 Wednesday, March 25, 2026 (6:09 a.m.)

Holy God,

Good morning. Hello. Hi.

(6:27 a.m.)

Thank You for this current opportunity of recognizing joy. Thinking about the plans for today and the events of yesterday I am well aware of the delight I’m experiencing deep within.

Simple things. No over-planning. Lots of acceptance. Father, I’m asking (Matthew 7:7a) for more moments of seeing the joy that is so often lying just beneath the surface of our circumstances.

I used the word “delight” several times yesterday. There was such freedom in taking each task as it presented itself. Thank You Father.

Thank You for the privilege of helping another. And for the pasta salad presented to us for our efforts. Genuine joy, Lord. All the way around.

I confess to complicating things Dear Lord. Overthinking. Over-planning. Attempts at making things just so.

Thank You for another reminder of how simple and JOYous things can be when I get out of Your way. And follow Your lead.

I want to do this again today Dear Lord. Taking the words and sentiment of Psalm 37:1-8 to heart, enable me in heeding David’s words.

“Don’t worry about the wicked or envy those who do wrong. For like grass, they soon fade away. Like spring flowers, they soon wither.

“Trust in the LORD and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the LORD, and He will give you your heart’s desires.

“Commit everything you do to the LORD. Trust Him, and He will help you. He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun.

“Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for Him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes.

“Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper - It only leads to harm.”

How I thank You for the privilege of truly recognizing joy when I experience it. Keep me alert and thankful (Colossians 4:2) for every single smile that sparks in my heart, soul, mind and on my face. They are truly my emotional barometers of recognizing the joy that comes directly from You.

♪… There’s times when my hands go up freely

And times that it costs

There’s days when a praise comes out easy

Days when it takes all the strength I got

I’ll bring my Hard-fought, heartfelt

Been-through-hell Hallelujah

And I’ll bring my storm-tossed, torn-sail

Story-to-tell Hallelujah

‘Cause God, You’ve been patient

God, You’ve been gracious

Faithful, whatever I’m feeling or facing...♪

Thank You for Your love Blessed Father. Thank You for Your grace. Your mercy. Your acceptance. Your patience. Use me exactly as You know is best. I love, need, trust and want You Blessed Lord. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(482 words ~ 7:50 a.m.)

♪Greater♪

 ♪… Greater is the One living inside of me

Than he who is living in the world♪

Tuesday, March 24, 2026 (5:32 a.m.)

Lord God,

I tried tricking myself into falling back asleep. Singing. Reading, Resting. All to no avail. Here I confess my oh-so feeble attempts of manipulating external circumstances to my liking.

Father, thank You that You know Your plans and Your best for us. Thank You that Your way is so much greater than our will. Thank You that we are called according to Your purpose (Romans 8:28b).

(6:06 a.m.)

 

Here I am leaning forward. Eager and excited to learn more from You.

Confessing my thoughts, hopes, disillusions and disappointments I often become lost in the sadness of it all. Prayers I have prayed over decades on behalf of others appear to go unanswered. I look to You and sadly fear time to be running out.

And then You sing to me.

♪Bring your tired

And bring your shame

Bring your guilt 

And bring your pain

Don’t you know that’s not your name

You will always be much more to Me♪

Not only that, but You lead me again to Your Word. Your apostle Paul’s letter to the church at Rome.

Father, I confess to You how heavily influenced I am by my feelings, rather than Your facts! I am so easily dissuaded when circumstances don’t line up with my prayers. I am looking to You to change this in, with, by, through and for me.

I love You Lord. I want very much to serve You as You know is best.

I want to share Paul’s confidence “that the good news will release God’s dynamic energy which makes all persons whole. Through this communication God’s true nature and activity are shown to those who trust Him through those who trust Him. Long ago it was written, ‘The whole person lives through trust’” (Romans 1:16-17).

Blessed God, I confess the doubts that cause me to look at the things of this world rather than the faith that keeps me focused on You.

♪Trust In The Lord with all your heart

And lean not on your own understanding

In all your ways acknowledge Him

And He shall direct your path♪

(Proverbs 3:5-6)

Here I ask (Matthew 7:7a) You to do all You must. All that I am completely unable to increase my trust in You.

I want to stand firmly on Paul’s teachings. Fully trusting and believing what he wrote applies to me as well.

“We know that God works to help those people who love Him. He uses everything that happens to them to bring something good. He does this for those people that He has chosen to serve Him” (Romans 8:28).

Father God, I believe this to be true not only because I WANT to, also because I have experienced it first hand. I want to depend more on Your Truth and promises than on the disappointments and brokenness of this world.

Do all You must that I will truly live and love as You would have me. Freely. Forgivingly. Fully (John 10:10b). While satan very well comes to “steal, kill and destroy” (John 10:10a) ♪Your Way’s Better♪

Keep me singing and standing on Your Truth Dearest Dad. I love, need, trust and want You. I absolutely can do none of this on my own. I am one hundred percent reliant on You. Your Word. Your Truth. Your promises. Keep my eyes on You I ask. Thank You. Praise You. Use me as You know is best. Amen.

(602 words ~ 6:53 a.m.)

re-celebrating happy

 Monday, March 23, 2026 (7:42 a.m.)

Blessed, Holy, Awesome God,

Thank You that You truly ARE blessed. Holy. Awesome. And God.

Thank You for the opportunity of re-celebrating happy yesterday. A day spent with loved ones at the self proclaimed “happiest place on earth.”

Father, THANK YOU for the playful privilege of answering an enthusiastic “Yes!” to questions and requests. Thank You for the laughter and love that bubbled forth from the endeavor.

Thank You for the willingness of choosing to truly celebrate the changes these past two years of our latest chapter have brought. Tears were freely shed. Bursts of laughter rang out. It was quite a “magical” day of re-celebrating happy. Thank You Father.

I want to bring that same freedom of fun into today. Jesus, I am asking (Matthew 7:7a) You to join me. Lead. Guide. Direct me to Your next best thing for me.

The joy I experienced yesterday was truly astounding. Because of my readiness to trust others in navigating the ins and outs of the day I was afforded the freedom found in following as others led. I want to continue that practice to a greater degree with You as my Leader.

so very many reasons

 Sunday, March 22, 2026 (4:45 a.m.)

Thank You God.

I’ve been saying that quite a bit lately. Thank You for so very many reasons.

♪… it’s a new day dawning...♪

How perfect that this song would suddenly pop into my head. Yes! There are definitely

♪10,000 Reasons for my heart to find♪

Thank You for allowing me more sleep. Interrupted as it was. I continued asking (Matthew 7:7a) and it finally came. Thank You God.

Thank You for a hopeful report of a very sick newborn. Thank You for the diligence of her health care team. Thank Yo for the love and devotion of her family.

Speaking of love and devotion, I read yesterday about being under a banner of love. This is a phrase I’ve long heard and have yet to explore. I’d like to look into it with You now.

(5:29 a.m.)

Thank You Father for the privilege of reading Your Word. Looking into verses and sections that are still relatively new to me after all these years.

Thank You for the phrase “and his banner over me was love” (Song of Solomon 2:4b). Thank You that through the years I was able to experience being and feeling looked at and showered with love.

This seems to be another of Your gifts I quite possibly have taken for granted. Thank You for this opportunity to look back fondly and recall my beloved’s intent.

Beloved is the word that brought me to this book in the first place. It’s one I’ve rarely used throughout my life. I think that’s about to change.

I have reason to celebrate the many things he brought into my life. Thank You for allowing me the gift of truly feeling cherished. Treasured. Prized.

Do all You must that I will share Your love with others. I want to serve You well. Worshiping. Adoring. Glorifying. Enjoying. And representing You and the loving forgiveness Jesus brought into this world.

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

(345 words ~ 5:55 a.m.)

extenuating circumstances

 ♪I’m ‘bout to have a Good Day

No matter what they say♪

Saturday, March 21, 2026 (5:54 a.m.)

Lord God,

You’ve been singing and speaking to me for several hours. Thank You for Your presence and Your patience with me.

I confess to the wimpy whining I’ve been doing these past several weeks. It’s too cold. Too windy. Too hot. Too hard. Too many extenuating circumstances...

Yes Lord, I confess to absolutely being unlike the apostle Paul! He had learned to be content (Philippians 4:11). He had learned the secret of living in every situation (v. 12).

And that secret? Doing “everything through Christ, the One who gives me strength” (13).

Forgive me Father. I’ve been trying to muscle my way through all the events life in this world has been throwing my way.

I’ve fallen back into spending way too much time in my head. Stewing. Fretting. Trying desperately to accomplish things on my own. Or just giving up completely.

You have much more in store for me than this. More than I’ve been willing to trust and believe You able to accomplish in, with, by, through and for me.

Jesus says, “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 at heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).

Forgive me for forgetting and redoubling my efforts on my own! I want a deeper, more meaningful dependency on You. I love, I need, I trust, I want You as absolute Lord of my life.

You reminded me earlier 

♪…Greater is the One living inside of me

Than he who is living in the world♪

As I read the lyrics now I am all the more grateful to You God.

♪Bring your tired

And bring your shame

Bring your guilt 

And bring your pain

Don’t you know that’s not your name

You will always be much more to Me♪

Thank You for directing me back to the Truth and promises found in Your Word. As guilty and ashamed as I tend to feel at any given moment, that is NOT Your best for me!

Thank You for leading me again to 2 Corinthians 12:9 and Galatians 6:4-5. Do all You must that I will stand firmly as I stay my mind on them.

‘Your grace IS all I need! Your power works best in weakness.’ I want so much to echo Paul’s words. “So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

♪…greater is the One living inside of me

Than he who is living in the world♪

As You continue Your transforming work (Romans 12:2) involving me, I ask (Matthew 7:7a) that You keep me far out of Your way. Do all You must that I will leave You to all that is necessary in changing me from the inside out.

I want to be empowered and enabled by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 3:16, 2 Timothy 1:7) to ‘pay careful attention to my own work, for then I will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and I won’t need to compare myself to anyone else. For we are each responsible for our own conduct’ (Galatians 6:4-5).

This IS the day that You have made! I want VERY much to rejoice and be glad in it (Psalm 118:24).

♪Bring your tired

And bring your shame

Bring your guilt 

And bring your pain…

‘Cause I hear a voice and He calls me redeemed

When others say I’ll never be enough

And greater is the One living inside of me

Than he who is living in the word♪

I invite you in dear Lord. No longer stand at the door and knock. Come in and share a meal as friends (Revelation 3:20).

♪Into My Heart, into my heart,

Come into my heart, Lord Jesus;

Come in today,

Come in to stay,

Come into my heart, Lord Jesus♪

Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

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