love personified

 Sunday, July 26, 2026 (5:04 a.m.)

Blessed, Holy God,

You did it again! Thank You for once more showing me Your love personified.

Yes! Same family as usual.

This time banding together to honor and celebrate their “90 Years Loved” matriarch. Complete on a throne. In a Catholic hall. Transformed into a magical setting. With various shades of her favorite [purple] color. 

All because of the love, YOUR love, that guides them into unity.

Father, this family never ceases to amaze me with the loving care and support they have for and show to one another. Praise given to one daughter-in-law is immediately credited to the others.

My tendency to say this is new behavior for me doesn’t hold up here. This dear and loving family has been showing me YOU in person for over 30 years. Yet I still find it astounding!

The details... Oh Lord, they didn’t skip a beat! Balloons. Streamers. Flowers. Live music. Their priest to bilingually bless the meal and occasion. Even a remembrance table set up with the perfect photo of their loving dad.

Everyone playing to their own particular strength. Caring. Encouraging. Serving. Yes! Sons and grandchildren bringing food to their regally treated and seated guests.

Lord God, how I thank You for these past three decades of You showing me firsthand what family really is! Not the back biting, put down, do better, be more model with which I was most accustomed.

Blessed Lord, the largest common denominators here come back to this particular family living Your love (1 Corinthians 13:1-7). The firm foundation on which they are built (Matthew 7:24-25). And their roots having visibly grown down into Jesus (Colossians 2:7).

Yes Father. Thank You for this family who never ceases to teach me another aspect of Your love personified.

Use me as You know is best. Continue Your work in, with, by, through and for me that I will somehow serve as a positive example of Your love to others. I love, need, trust and want You as absolute Lord of my life. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(346 words ~ 6:17 a.m.)

not "just so"

 ♪Make It Well with my soul♪

Saturday, July 25, 2026 (4:36 a.m.)

Blessed God,

Thank You! Again I thank You for those two words that come easier and easier for me after all these decades of practicing them.

Thank You for the smile that comes even as I acknowledge the work You continue doing with my heart, soul, mind and strength.

You truly do make it well with our souls! Thank You.

Even the dream I had just now pointed to my desire to have things “just so”… The way I want them. With very little margin for debate. From zero to hurt in under a second.

Thank You that Your mercy and grace afford us a remedy for our fallibility. Your never-ending, unconditional love provides us new chances, freedom from guilt and compassion for others.

Thank You Father. I experienced Your newness again yesterday.

Beginning to remember and recite to myself another example of feeling slighted, I could feel myself gearing up for the onslaught of negativity I could [and often do] bring to my pity party.

Thank You for stepping right into the mix and reminding me once more that Jesus has indeed paid it all!

♪Jesus Paid It All 

All to Him I owe

Sin had left a crimson stain

He washed it white as snow♪

Thank You Father. It’s never our responsibility to build any cases against another. It’s Your Holy Spirit who lives within us. Guiding us into Your Truth. Interceding on our behalf.

Thank You that Jesus is right there with You (1 John 2:1). Pleading our cases for us. Freeing us to live as You would have us live. Loving (Mark 12:30-31). Forgiving (Matthew 6:12). Seeking Your peace (John 14:27, 16:33).

Use me today Dear Lord. Exactly as You know is best. Making it well with my soul. Always mindful that Jesus has indeed already paid for all my [and everyone else’s] sins.

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

(337 words ~ 5:21 a.m.)

RaccoonS!

 Friday, July 24, 2026 (5:04 a.m.)

Father God,

Thank You. Mm, yes. Thank You for startle. And surprise.

An entire family of raccoons climbing over the fence! What to do? What to do…

Loud banging on the metal door did not dissuade them. Neither did the shining of the flashlight. Thank You for the mysteries of things I can’t control.

Yes Father, thank You that I can choose to do my best. And allow You to do the rest.

(10:43 a.m.)

And with that said, I went about my non coffee drinking morning. 

Lord God, how truly I DO thank You for the various things over which I have no control. And the few that I do.

Thank You for continuing to teach me when to accept with grace the things I cannot change. The courage to change that which I can. And the wisdom to know the difference between the two.

Father, thank You for the serenity that is to be found when we seek to follow Your lead.

Much like all those hours earlier when I continued banging on a door long after I was aware that I was having very little affect on Your little creatures. That still, small voice within kept telling me to stop. I could already feel the bruise I was causing on my thumb. Yet I remained relentless in my effort.

The wisdom to know the difference! Yes. I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that I was to stop slamming my hands against the unyielding door.

How often do I figuratively continue hitting my head against walls long after You make me fully aware that I am to stop? Change course. LISTEN to Your still, small voice.

Father, thank You that Your will prevails. “We humans keep brainstorming options and plans, but GOD’s purpose prevails” (Proverbs 19:21 The Message).

“You may have lots of ideas about what you want to do. But it is the LORD’s plans that are important” (EasyEnglish Bible).

Thank You Father. For Your Word. Your love. Your Son. Your Truth. Your promises. Your hope. The list is endless!

Do all You must in using me to bring glory and honor to Your most holy name. I love, need, trust and want You Dearest God. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(383 words ~ 11:10 a.m.)

YOWZA!

 Thursday, July 23, 2026 (4:52 a.m.)

“Yow-za!”

(5:00 a.m.)

Well I certainly didn’t expect any of this just now.

Thank You God, that when I bring before You even my first utterance of the day my whole way of thinking changes. Yes, Father, You do have that power!

Evidently I slept HARD. Solid. Sound. With detailed remembered dreams.

And would You look at this? There’s even a phrase for that! Sleep inertia. 

Blessed God, You amaze me! Thank You for the curiosity You have ‘woven into my nature. Helping me learn, explore and grow closer to You’ (The Gospel Coalition).

There’s nothing I’m not allowed to bring to You, asking Your opinion of it. Thank You.

♪Lead Me to the Cross 

Where Your love poured out♪

Take yesterday for instance. Just as I was beginning to build another case regarding my own self righteousness in a certain area, You didn’t hesitate to step right into my thoughts. Reminding me that You have forgiven me so that I MUST forgive others. Completely. Stamped, “Paid in FULL!”

You even provided me the song, further emphasizing Your command on this.

♪Jesus Paid It All 

All to Him I owe

Sin had left a crimson stain

He washed it white as snow♪

Thank You once again for the curiosity that would take me to the origin of this favored hymn. And to an almost unrelated verse. One that stands profoundly out to me at the moment.

1 Peter 1:17. “And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of Him during your time as 'foreigners in the land.’”

Thank You Lord that I am no more nor less of importance to You than those whom I had remembered as causing me any pain whatsoever. Thank You that because of Your great love and sacrifice for us I get to choose where to put my focus. On hurts of the past? Or hope for the future. 

Yes, Father. Thank You that I choose Your hope! 

Do all You must that I embrace Your hope to the fullest. Being amazed. Delighted. Even uttering “YOWZA!” as is appropriate.

I love, need, trust and want You as absolute Lord of my life. Use me exactly as You alone know is best. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(403 words ~ 5:49 a.m.)

kept in a moment

 Wednesday, July 22, 2026 (4:49 a.m.)

Blessed God,

You did it again. You kept me in a moment. How truly I thank You for that!

Normally I would have attempted to rush through the awkwardness. Recognizing I didn’t want to go there, I may have tried several different distractions.

This time, I stayed. Right there. Listening. Praying. Asking (Matthew 7:7) You to keep me curious, rather than convinced.

Yes! Father, You reminded me to invite the Holy Spirit to join us at the breakfast table. And when it was my turn to share? I was able to speak Your Truth. In love (Ephesians 4:15a).

It is Your love I long to represent Dear Lord. Your love that teaches the importance of forgiveness.

“So then we will not be like children any more. Our minds will not become confused by strange ideas. We will not change what we believe, from one thing to another” (Ephesians 4:14a EasyEnglish Bible).

I experienced this Truth yesterday Dear Lord. Thank You for keeping me right there, in that very moment.

“Instead, we will love each other and we will speak God’s true message. As a result we will become more like Christ in every way. He is the head of the body, which is the church” (v. 15).

Mmm… Instead, we will love each other. How simple does that appear?!

Speaking God’s true message. And as a result? We will become more like Christ in every way. Father, this is a promise on which I want to build.

Worldwide English (New Testament tells us “We must say what is true and say it with love. In that way we will grow up in all things to be like Christ, who is the head of this body.”

Say what is true. With love. And grow up. You definitely have Your work cut out for You Lord!

How I ask You to continue doing all You must in making me receptive and obedient to Your teachings. I love, need, trust and want to serve and represent You well. Use me. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(347 words ~ 5:25 a.m.)

naturalness

 Tuesday, July 21, 2026 (4:37 a.m.)

Holy, Holy God,

THANK YOU! Once again, You DO know what’s best! 

Waking hours ago I wasn’t so sure. Yet here I am now. Truly AGOG once more! Eager. Excited to tell. And… curious!

Mm, yes. Curiosity. One of my new best friends.

I used to think I needed more courage. Then I thought it was confidence I was after. Come to find out, it all begins with being curious. Or at the very least, a willingness to practice it.

Yesterday, I saw it in the swimming pool as plain as day. A woman nearing 80 still working to overcome her almost 65 years of fearful water experiences.

Father, thank You for the right place and time You orchestrated those 15 years ago that we would meet after an exercise class. Thank You for her willingness to hear me out. And for her desire to learn.

What an awesome example of wanting to let go of fear. Of being willing to show up regularly. And try new things. Different approaches. Simple and fun experiments.

Here I pause to thank You again for the harmony I experience with most things water related. The freedom. The joy. The naturalness. Yes! That’s the word.

Rarely do I have to think about what to do next when I’m surrounded by water. There's an ease. An absolute peacefulness that’s as natural to me as breathing.

Thank You for the deep desire You placed in me all those years ago to share this freedom with others. Here I am asking (Matthew 7:7) You to lead and guide me with the very next step.

There’s so much I don’t know or understand about most things. Oh, but there is such an eagerness to learn more.

(6:26 a.m.)

You do these things. In, with, by, through and for us. ESPECIALLY when we don’t fight the natural order of things. Like the physics behind gravity and buoyancy.

I don’t have to understand (Proverbs 3:5) either to fully experience and enjoy both. Father, thank You for all there is that I do not know or comprehend. Thank You for the desire to experiment, experience and enjoy more of all that You have for us.

Use me well. Teaching me to love well. Appropriately (Philippians 1:9).

I love, need, trust and want You Lord. Do all You must that I truly delight myself in You (Psalm 37:4a). And experience the naturalness of Your divine order. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(421 words ~ 6:38 a.m.)

so very many options

 Monday, July 20, 2026 (6:07 a.m.)

Holy God,

Thank You for the options You provide us. So very many options.

(7:21 a.m.)

And this is where I come back to confessing to You my fear of making mistakes. I practically paralyze myself with indecision.

Thank You that Your love, mercy, grace and forgiveness cover it all. Yet… I still waver. Waffle. Refuse to take the risk of failing.

Thank You that even this I can bring before You. Again!

Thank You that we can look to Your Word and take refuge in You. Repeatedly.

Father, You allow us such great joy. In the simplest of things.

Yesterday it was the continued presence of a certain dragonfly. Flitting. Darting. Practically dancing quite near me. Unbelievable hope and joy encompassed me.

Lord God, I ask (Matthew 7:7) You to be with me every step and decision I make today. You ARE ‘my refuge, my place of safety; You are my God, and I trust You’ (Psalm 91:2).

Use me as only You know is best. I love, need, trust and want You. Continue teaching me the very fine art of being Your child. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(201 words ~ 7:45 a.m.)