earworm

 ♪Hm, hm, hm, hm

Hm, hm, hm, hmm/hm

Hm, hm, hm, hm…♪

Thursday, June 11, 2026 (5:40 a.m.)

Holy God,

There’s a song. I believe it to have a one word title. I almost have it. And then it slips away.

I’ve searched what I thought the powerful one word [Surrender] might be. Nothing I can find.

I’m asking Your guidance and direction if it’s something You want me to continue pursuing. Otherwise please point my attention to where You would have it.

The lyrics might sing about shame. And being overburdened. The one word I believe to be the title has three syllables.

(5:58 a.m.)

Or maybe it’s a three word title? [shoulder shrug emoji]

I’ve got things to do today. Yet I’m still wondering if this earworm is from You. Perhaps for someone else’s benefit besides my own.

Intentionally switching it up I am singing out instead:

♪Holy Spirit You are welcome here

Come flood this place and fill the atmosphere

Your glory God is what our hearts long for

To be overcome by Your presence Lord♪

Father, I want to follow where You lead. Whether in thoughts, words, music and/or actions, And here came the song again.

Sharing my ideas for the day with my brother. Telling him I plan to take it as it comes. “Practicing rejoicing and being glad in it as God unfolds it.” The music started out softly and built to a startling crescendo.

(6:43 a.m.)

Taking time to “walk it off” and do others things, 

(7:21 a.m.)

The phone rang and I chose to take the call. More walking. Talking. And again? The song!

Deliberately choosing to sing out: 

♪Our God is an Awesome God

He reigns from heaven above

With wisdom, power and love

Our God is an awesome God♪

I realized I was attempting to take my thoughts [song] captive (2 Corinthians 10:5). And wondering what it is You would have me learn through all of this elusive music in my mind.

I love You Father. I need, trust and want You to guide me in all that I am. My thoughts, words, actions. Even my singing. Use me exactly as You know is best. Be glorified. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(379 words ~ 7:41 a.m.)

 

Gates of Thanksgiving

 Wednesday, June 10, 2026 (5:43 a.m.)

Holy, Holy God,

Thank You!

I saw an ornate gate yesterday. It reminded me of the ones we spoke of earlier that morning. Yours. The ones we enter with thanksgiving in our hearts. Before going into Your courtyards with praise (Psalm 100:4).

(6:36 a.m.)

Father, thank You for again prompting me to explore Your gates of thanksgiving and Your courtyards of praise. A completely different approach to You than the one I had planned earlier.

Being open to Your leading has taken me from my intended thankfulness for a fun filled ice skating outing to further exploration of Your gates and courtyards. Thank You.

A very quick aside… that verse You provided me on a passing car’s back window was GREATLY appreciated! “God is within her, she will not fall” (Psalm 46:5a). I chose to claim it for myself as soon as I read it.

As well as the verse on the cross keychain I just “happened” to read upon exiting our vehicle. Joshua 1:9. “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid.”

Father, You are doing such mighty works in the lives of my loved ones. How I ask (Matthew 7:7) You to continue making me aware of the awe and wonder You are forever doing behind the scenes of our very existence.

And with that, now I am singing.

♪Forever God is faithful

Forever God is strong

Forever God is with us

Forever♪

(7:42 a.m.)

Here I come back to where we started initially this morning. Psalm 100. The Message.

“Know this: GOD is God, and God, GOD.

He made us; we didn’t make Him.

We’re His people, His well-tended sheep.

“Enter with the password: ‘Thank You!’

Make yourselves at home, talking praise.

Thank Him. Worship Him.

“For GOD is sheer beauty,

all-generous in love,

loyal always and ever.”

Yes! Father, thank You! I love, need, trust and want You to use me exactly as You know is best. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(338 words ~ 7:49 a.m.)

gates and courtyards

 Tuesday, June 9, 2026 (5:48 a.m.)

Holy God,

Thank You. Praise You. 

(5:57 a.m.)

Yes, indeed! Thank You. THANK YOU!

When all thoughts fail, start with “thank You.”

Those simple two words open gates. Into Your courtyards (Psalm 100:4).

Scrambling for something authentic to say to You, my thoughts branched out. First here. Then there. Covering a multitude of favorable circumstances and reasons for which to give You thanks.

It was turning in Your Word. Confirming the Psalm and verse that brought me the biggest smile. Because of verse one.

“Shout with joy to the LORD, all the earth!” (Psalm 100:1). Yes! “Worship the LORD with gladness. Come before Him, singing with joy” (v. 2).

Mm. Yes, please. And “Thank You!”

“Acknowledge that the LORD is God! He made us, and we are His [or ‘and not we ourselves’]. We are His people, the sheep of His pasture” (3). How truly grateful I am Dearest Lord.

I confess to trying to will myself into thanking and praising You on my own. Knowing how blessed I am and wanting to show You the reverence You so righty deserve.

Thank You for taking me instead to Your gates. That I would enter with thanksgiving; and go into Your courts with praise. Truly giving You thanks, and praising Your name (v. 4).

“For the LORD is good” (5a). Your are! Your unfailing love continues forever, (5b) and Your faithfulness continues to each generation (5c).

Holy God, this is Truth I can only begin to comprehend. Thank You that its validity is in no way dependent on my understanding. Only on my acceptance.

Thank You. Thank You Father.

The Life Recovery Bible comment tells us, “We always have reason to rejoice: We live in God’s presence, under His continual care and we experience His love each day. Each time we come into His presence, our heart should be filled with gratitude and praise. God never stops showering us with His love; He always keeps His promise to help us when we call on Him.”

That’s what I’m doing right now. Calling on Your great love to empower and enable me in thinking, saying, doing and being all that You would have of and for me.

I love, need, trust and want You Blessed God. Do all You must that I truly come before You thanking and praising. Entering You gates with thanksgiving in my heart, and Your courtyards with praise for who and all You are. 

There is a hint of a picture in my mind of what this could look like. Thank You for the beauty and wonder of it all. Use me as You know is best. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(454 words ~ 6:33 a.m.)

easy access

 ♪All at once, everything is...♪

Monday, June 8, 2026 (4:47 a.m.)

Incredibly Awesome Father God,

Thank You for the ways You get our attention onto You. Where it so rightly belongs.

Thoughts. Songs. Reminders. Remembrances.

Thank You for time to sit and ponder. To truly consider ♪How Great Thou Art♪ (Psalm 86:10).

Thank You for the privilege of having easy access to Your Word.

(5:31 a.m.)

Mm, yes Lord. Such easy access.

I so often get lost. Lose sight of one thought [or song]. In deference to another.

Thank You that even here I choose to believe I am following You. Right back to 

 ♪…everything looks different

Now that I see YOU♪

(I See the Light)

Yes Father. Seeing You, our True Light, makes all the difference!

There are many plans for today. I have no certainty what the day will actually hold, but I do believe You hold it all. Right here in the palm of Your mighty hands.

Father, I am asking (Matthew 7:7) You to continue Your work in melting, molding, filling and using me [♪Spirit of the Living God♪ (Galatians 5:16)] exactly as You alone know is best. 

Again I thank You for the easy access I have in finding one song [and matching Scripture verse] after another. Father it’s You I long to follow. Represent. Reflect. Do all You must that I truly come to glorify and enJOY You forever.

I love, need, trust and want You Blessed Lord. Use me exactly as You wish.

(6:17 a.m.)

♪Then sings my soul,

My Savior God to Thee

How Great Thou Art 

How great Thou art♪

Remind me of Your greatness and Your nearness as often as is necessary. Just like with this translation of Psalm 30:5 in The Voice.

“His wrath, you see, is fleeting, but His grace lasts a lifetime. The deepest pains may linger through the night, but joy greets the soul with the smile of morning.”

Mm, yes! I didn’t see it on the first reading. Oh but here it is. My precious husband’s favorite verses.

Numbers 6:24-26. His own version:

“May the LORD bless you and keep you 

May He make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you 

May He turn His face toward you [and SMILE!] and give you peace.”

Yes Dear Lord. Thank You for such easy access to Your Word. Your Truth. Your promises. Teach me to share them well. Thank You. Praise You. 

♪I Surrender All♪

(Romans 6:13)

Amen.

(405 words ~ 6:32 a.m.)

 

intentional words and actions

 Sunday, June 7, 2026 (5:40 a.m.)

Blessed God,

Thank You so much. You are good. Faithful.

(7:23 a.m.)

Thank You for this time to worship and to wander. To pray and ponder. Father, You truly ARE good. And I am genuinely grateful.

Singing songs that come to mind, I hold You in my heart with each line.

♪Who Am I, that the Lord of all the earth would care to know my name?

Would care to feel my hurt?♪

♪… There’s only You and me

And We Just Disagree♪

♪God Is On the Move, on the move

Hallelujah

God is on the move

In many mighty ways♪

♪Are you hurting and broken within?

Overwhelmed by the weight of your sin?

Jesus is calling…

O Come to the Altar 

The Father’s arms are open wide♪

Being able to read of Your faithfulness makes me duly aware of how blessed we are to be loved by You. And how casual I have become in my own lack of faithfulness in putting the Truth of Your Word into practice.

Having spent decades depending on the hope we find in Your faithfulness (Lamentations 3:21-23) it took until this morning for me to read the full chapter. Forgive me for my shortsightedness Dear Lord.

I confess to wanting easy. Happy. Joyful. Thank You for reminding me that “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love” (Romans 5:3-5).

Faithful, Loving Father, I want to use this hope and Your love well. Remembering that troubles can be an opportunity for great joy (James 1:2). Trusting that when our faith is tested, our endurance has a chance to grow (v. 3). And when it is fully developed, we will be perfect and complete, needing nothing (4).

It is our hope in Your faithfulness that allows us to “be truly glad” (1 Peter 1:6a). Expecting, trusting, believing “There is wonderful joy ahead,” (6b). Do all You must dear Lord that I will “endure many trials for a little while” (6c).

Trials show faith to be genuine (7a). Tested as fire purifies gold (7b). Continue strengthening me I ask (Matthew 7:7) You Dear Lord. Reminding me to be strong in You and in Your mighty power (Ephesians 6:10).

I love, need, trust and want You Dear Lord. Be my Source of hope. Filling me completely with Your joy and peace because I trust in You. Overflow me “with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13).

Make it so my words and actions intentionally line up with all You know to be best. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(494 words ~ 8:12 a.m.)

 

something brand-new

 Saturday, June 6, 2026 (6:06 a.m.)

Holy, Blessed God,

Thank You for continuing to teach us news things. Better ways of communicating. Learning to listen.

(6:42 a.m.)

Mm, yes. Father God, I desperately want to learn to listen.

(6:48 a.m.)

Thank You that we have Your Word. Ever teachings us Your ways. Enable me in applying Your directions in my everyday life.

In confronting the people of Judah, the prophet Isaiah spoke of their past sin. All the while pointing to Your promises.

“This is what GOD says, the God who builds a road right through the ocean, who carves a path through pounding waves, The God who summons horses and chariots and armies - they lie down and then can’t get up; they’re snuffed out like so many candles: ‘Forget about what’s happened; don’t keep going over old history, Be alert, be present. I’m about to do something brand-new. It’s bursting out! Don’t you see it? There it is! I’m making a road through the desert, rivers in the badlands. Wild animals will say “Thank you!” - the coyotes and the buzzards - Because I provided water in the desert, rivers through the sunbaked earth, Drinking water for the people I chose, the people I made especially for myself, a people custom-made to praise me” (Isaiah 43:16-21 The Message).

You blessed me with such a road yesterday Lord. Opportunity to cautiously communicate with a much loved one. Each of us willing to take the other’s feelings into account. Without malice or manipulation. Thank You Lord.

I’m asking (Matthew 7:7) You to continue Your work in empowering me to “… be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry” (James 1:9).

Mm. The half brother of Jesus had it right all those years ago! 

“Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. So get rid of all filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls. But don’t just listen to God’s Word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves” (vs. 20-22).

Keep teaching me Lord. I can be such a slow study!

“Too much talk leads to sin. Be sensible and keep your mouth shut” (Proverbs 10:19).

“Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent; with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent” (Proverbs 17:28).

I want to live the life You have set for me Dearest Lord. Continue doing the something brand-new that You know is best. I want to learn to listen. I love, need, trust and want You Blessed God. Use me as only You can. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

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