plain and simple

 Tuesday, March 31, 2026 (6:10 a.m.)

Blessed, Holy, Loving Father God,

I’m here to confess how easily I complicate things. Thank You for allowing [encouraging?] me to say that straight out. 

In doing so I find I am not the only one. Thank You Father.

Thank You for the privilege of coming before You. With unending ideas in my head. Thoughts of doing this, that and something else. All the while wanting to be guided by You.

Father God, I’m asking (Matthew 7:7a) You to be the focal point of this day. How perfect that I find a verse [Ecclesiastes 7:29] resembling me at this very moment!

Good News Translation. “This is all that I [Teacher/Preacher/possibly King Solomon] have learned: God made us plain and simple, but we have made ourselves very complicated.”

WHAT IF… I took today and practiced living it plainly and simply for You? Getting out of my own way. Looking for and listening to Your guiding presence.

Father, I long to put one foot in front of the other. Toward You and all You have for me. Uncomplicatedly. Plainly and simply Yours.

The Message. “Yet I did spot one ray of light in this murk: God made men and women true and upright; we’re the ones who’ve made a mess of things.”

How true is that Dearest Dad?!

(7:01 a.m.)

Thank You for this opportunity of being honest with You. Thank You for reminding me of the importance of dressing myself in Your armor (Ephesians 6:11-18). Every single day!

It is NOT flesh-and-blood we are fighting against (v. 12a)! It’s the tricks and schemes of the devil we are to firmly stand up against (v. 11).

(7:17 a.m.)

And here I am gratefully reminded of two more of Your Truths!

2 Corinthians 12:9. YOUR grace is sufficient for me. It’s all I need. Because Your power works best in my weakness!

1 John 4:4. “But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people [false prophets], because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.”

It is Your Spirit’s lead that I want to follow today. Plain and simple. Do all You must Dear Lord.

I love, need, trust and want You. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

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

melted, molded and filled for use

 Monday, March 30, 2026 (6:04 a.m.)

Blessed, Holy God,

I used the word “prickly” in describing myself yesterday. It’s a downgrade from the wild irritation I have been feeling here of late. Thank You for that Lord.

Yes. Thank You for the change of focus from all over which I have no control. Weather. Traffic. Other people’s thoughts and actions. 

I look to You Dearest Dad. Asking (Matthew 7:7a) You to continue Your work in melting, molding, filling and using me as only You know is best.

As prickly and tossed around as I have felt these past many weeks I realize I keep looking outside of myself for what will settle me back to a more even keel. I experience momentary senses of balance only to be easily tipped again. “Wobbly” could well be another adequately descriptive word.

Mm. I keep coming back to the water’s edge in my mind. The uncontrolled crashing of waves. Turns of the tide. Even ripples as currents change. None of which can be controlled by our own will.

Yet it can often be managed. Even enjoyed.

(6:40 a.m.)

Father God, I want desperately to live this day in, with, by, through and for the ♪Spirit of the Living God fall[ing] afresh on me♪ Melt, mold, fill and use me as You see fit.

Thinking back to my prickliness I searched “porcupines in water” and learned that they swim. I found that watching videos of them exploring water calmed my soul.

Father, thank You for reminding me that even though there are a myriad of things over which I have zero control, I can always choose to look to You. Asking You for guidance. Seeking Your kingdom (Matthew 6:33). Knocking on the doors You want to open for me (Luke 11:9-10).

I heard it said yesterday that it's okay to wrestle with You. It seems that is what I have been doing recently. Thank You for this privilege.

Thank You for the opportunity of being honest with You. Thank You for the reminders of the times I have struggled with capsizing in bodies of water. Getting righted, only to tip again.

Thank You that some of those experiences were more fun than others. Many were even exhausting. Thank you for allowing me to learn something valuable in each process.

Just like now. Irritations seem to be coming fast and furiously. Teach me all I need to know in welcoming, rather than attempting to fight them every step of the way.

Thank You Father. I love, need, trust and seriously want Your presence in every single choice I make today. Use me exactly as You know is best. Praise You. Amen.

(447 words ~ 7:26 a.m.)

pardon and power

 Sunday, March 28, 2026 (4:55 a.m.)

Holy God,

Thank You. I’m grateful. I’m not feeling it. Yet I am. Thank You that I truly want to practice gratitude.

Thank You for the song that was swirling around my head as I awoke. Thank You that there were dreams, which meant I slept. Thank You for the desire to be thankful. Always (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

I am confessing to You right now an extremely unseemly, unbecoming attitude. There is deep grumbling and grousing going on within. All is currently NOT well with my soul.

Thank You for reminding me AGAIN that as Your little child I belong to You (1John 4:4a EasyEnglish Bible). The Holy Spirit is in me (v. 4c) And “He is more powerful than the spirit that belongs to this world” (4d).

I attempted acting as if yesterday. I went through the motions of celebrating with and for other people. Forgive my selfishness Dear Lord. I pretended to have what it took to be social when in reality I just wanted to come home. And be alone.

Father thank You for all You are teaching me. NONE of what I will or won’t accomplish is because of my own determination. All I am or ever will be is because of Your grace. Pure and simple (1 Peter 4:11).

(5:27 a.m.)

Holy, Holy God! I’ve spent these past many days [weeks, months] continuing to work at a plan that would deliver me from the evil thoughts that keep me bound to indecision and irritation. Thank You that Your way is SO much bigger. And better.

It’s NOT my will, but Yours! Not my works 

(5:41 a.m.)

“Not my works!” No matter how hard I try to think, say, do or be all that I consider right in my own mind can ever be enough. It’s You. All You. Your grace. Your love. Your power. Your pardon.

I can never earn it. Oh, but I can choose to receive it. And I do Dear Lord.

Thank You for leading me again to Your Word. Especially the book of Colossians. The apostle Paul’s letter to the believers of Colosse. “To show us that Christ is the only real source of power in our life” (The Life Recovery Bible THE BOTTOM LINE).

I keep forgetting all that I do not know nor practice regularly. It is Christ’s power, not mine!

Paul wrote to the Colossians, praying, “that you will be strengthened with all His glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father” (Colossians 1:11-12a).

Father God, I want to live dependent on Your Truth and promises. Eagerness is taking hold within. It is Your grace that provides not only pardon from our sins, but Your power as well. I want to truly take hold of all You offer us.

It is my desire to believe that I am forgiven, justified, made right, reconciled, brought into Your presence and am now ‘holy and blameless as I stand before You without a single fault’ (v. 22).

I ask (Matthew 7:7a) You to enable and empower me in embracing Paul’s words. “But you must continue to believe this Truth and stand firmly in it. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News” (23a, b).

Continue Your work in teaching me more about Your grace. The pardon it presents, as well as its power. I am desperately in need of all the power You have for me.

The apostle Paul asked You three times to take away a thorn in his flesh (2 Corinthians 12:7-8). Each time You told him, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness” (v. 9).

It is the pardon and the power of Your grace on which I must learn to depend. Definitely not my own will or way. Use me exactly as You know is best Dear Lord. Do all You must that I represent You well.

I love, need, trust and want You. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

698 words ~ 6:31 a.m.)

lots of practice

 Saturday, March 28, 2026 (6:36 a.m.)

Holy God,

Thank You for learning. You have so very much to teach us.

Important things. Like love. Forgiveness. Patience. Understanding. You provided me lots of practice these last few days.

Father, thank You for the privilege of sharing space with others. Learning to communicate with one another. Allowing each of us to experience circumstances at our own speed and severity.

Thank You for the decades of practice You have afforded me already. I have the desire to learn even more about taking each day as it comes. Rife with possibility. And very little expectation.

Thank You for the privilege of laughter. Fun. Do-overs. Surprises.

Blessed God, I want to honor You this day (Psalm 118:24a). The one You have made. I want very much to rejoice and be glad in it (v. 24b).

Each new day is NOT guaranteed. They truly are gifts from You. How I ask (Matthew 7:7a) You that I will treat them as such. Prized. Treasured. Not to be wasted.

(7:18 a.m.)

Thank You for reminding me of the importance of taking baby steps in the learning of new to me things. Take the fine art of communication for instance.

Holy God, I want to be a better listener. Learning to pay acute attention to the nuances in voice inflections. The raising and lowering of tones as well as volume. And not responding in kind.

We, as a household of three and four these past several days, were able to navigate our way through many potential landmines of miscommunication. Not being fully present in what was being said at the time. Jumping ahead to the drawing of our own conclusions. Taking things personally. Plain old hurt feelings. You taught us a lot Dear Lord. Thank You.

(7:38 a.m.)

Again I ask You to keep teaching me Father. One baby step at a time.

I love You. I need You. I trust and want You as absolute Lord and Master of my very being. Do all You must that I will learn to serve You as You so rightly deserve. Use me exactly as You know is best. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(364 words ~ 7:42 a.m.)

Truth to stand on

 Thursday, March 26, 2026 (8:10 a.m.)

Absolutely Awesome and Holy God,

Thank You for the ways You bless us and keep us (Numbers 6:24) and make Your power perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). You are truly good, glorious, great, gracious (Psalm 145:5-8) and I am genuinely grateful.

Thank You that these are more than just words on a page. They are Truth. To stand on.

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.)