patient and gracious faithfulness

♪Hard Fought Hallelujah♪

Saturday, February 21, 2026 (4:22 a.m.)

Most Holy God,

This is DEFINITELY a hope filled song with which to awaken.

♪’Cause God, You’ve been patient

God, You’ve been gracious

Faithful, whatever I’m feeling or facing♪

(4:49 a.m.)

Father, thank You for the love You have for each and every single one of us. Love that is absolutely exemplified by Your patient and gracious faithfulness.

Thank You that Your Word is filled with verses of hope and Truth. Direction. Encouragement. Warning. Thank You for using It to teach us to bring to You our:

♪… hard-fought, heartfelt

Been-through-hell hallelujah

… storm-tossed, torn-sail

Story-to-tell hallelujah♪

Thank You for using music and Your Word to comfort, guide and direct us to living as You would have us live.

Yesterday I was able to explore the apostle Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians. The beginning two sections for verse 11 of chapter 4 rang especially true for me.

“Try very much to live at peace with other people. Work hard at your own job.” Yes Father. That is honestly my desire.

Last night before falling asleep, I read again Paul’s urging to the believers in Ephesus. “Be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Always keep yourselves united in the Holy Spirit, and bind yourselves together with peace” (Ephesians 4:2-3). Yes please!

Following this, I went next to Colossians 3:15. “And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are all called to live in peace. And always be grateful.”

It’s the Holy Spirit living in each of us (John 14:16-17) that empowers and enables us to live, trust and believe the Truth Your Word teaches about life in, with, by, through and for You. Father, open my heart, soul, mind and strength to receiving all You have for me.

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

(351 words ~ 5:53 a.m.)

Merciful and mighty!

♪Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty!

Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee♪

Friday, February 20, 2026 (5:08 a.m.)

♪Holy, Holy, Holy! Merciful and mighty!

God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!♪

Mm, yes. God in three Persons. Merciful and mighty. Blessed Trinity. Where would You have me go with this Lord?

living God's Truth

 Thursday, February 19, 2026 (6:17 a.m.)

Awesome God,

Thank You. I woke up singing parts of ♪The Truth♪ and realized I desperately want to know and live Your Truth.

John 8:32. The Message. “Then Jesus turned to the Jews who claimed to believe in Him. ‘If you stick with this, living out what I tell you, you are my disciples for sure. Then you will experience for yourselves the truth, and the truth will free you.’”

(7:10 a.m.)

♪Who the Son sets free

Oh is free indeed

I’m a child of God, yes I am♪

(♪Who You Say I Am♪)

Holy Father, I confess to You. I sing the songs. Quote the Bible verses. Have an arm’s length association with all I believe about You. Your will. Your way. Your Truth.

And when all is said and done? I feel fearful. Of not being and/or doing enough. I keep waiting for this lifelong less than feeling to dissipate. To be gone forever.

That is not the case. No matter how many songs I sing. And Bible verses I recite. The overwhelming self-imposed verdict? I will never measure up.

I’m hoping/asking (Matthew 7:7a) for Your intervention with my own self assessment. I continue deeming myself unacceptable. Try again. Come back later.

Then again sings the verse:

♪The Truth is I am my Father’s child

I make Him proud and I make Him smile

I was made in the image of a perfect King

He looks at me and wouldn’t change a thing♪

Tell me Dearest Dad, why I can’t I truly believe this to be true about me?

♪The Truth is I am truly loved

By a God who’s good when I’m not good enough

I don’t belong to the lies, I belong to You

And that’s the Truth♪

I DON’T want to listen to the lies anymore!

(8:24 a.m.)

And here begins another song of Your Truth:

♪There is therefore now no condemnation

For those who are in Christ Jesus♪

(Romans 8:1)

(9:16 a.m.)

Tell me please, why is it that I can sing so readily of Your Truth yet still struggle with accepting and applying it to myself? Is this something inherent? Generational? Nurture or nature?

YOU have Your work cut out for Yourself Lord. I want to live and love as You designed. Gratefully. Joyfully. Do all You must to Your good and perfect end. I love, need, trust and want You to use me as You know is best. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(378 words ~ 9:19 a.m.)

practicing gratefulness

 Wednesday, February 18, 2026 (5:35 a.m.)

Blessed, Holy God,

Thank You for Your presence in our lives. Thank You for the privilege of being grateful. I want to practice and get better at it everyday.

♪Great Aunt Maureen said at a hundred and three

“Write scripture on Your heart for when you need it

So just say it to yourself ’til you believe it”

And I’m feeling like I’m needing it right now♪

[Still Waters (Psalm 23)]

Father, thank You for bringing music to my heart and my mind. Many times [like now] before I even know what song it is. Thank You for the various ways You sing Your Truth into our days.

Thank You Lord for walking with me. Always. Here I ask (Matthew 7:7) You to make me ever more aware of Your presence in all I experience. I love, need, trust and want Your goodness, grace, greatness and glory (Psalm 145:5-8) to be what I am seeking. Yes. Your Kingdom first (Matthew 6:33).

Use me exactly as You know is best. Doing in, with, by, through and for me all that is necessary that I serve You as You so rightly deserve. Teach me to worship, adore, glorify and enjoy You forever. Provide all the mercy, grace, faith, hope and trust that is needed. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(228 words ~ 6:43 a.m.)

trusting God

 Tuesday, February 17, 2026 (3:57 p.m.)

Holy God,

This seems to be a real backward approach to the day. Coming here with You twelve hours later than usual. It’s kind of cool I have to admit. I get to thank You for reminding me that YOU are who I trust.

Bemoaning circumstances earlier I got caught in the “I don’t know who to trust” loop. Thank You for that little push that seemed to say, “How about Me?!”

Yeah! YOU! Trust You! 

Thank You that I get to keep coming to You. Singing. And smiling.

♪I’m ‘bout to have a Good Day 

No matter what they say

Sun is shining down on me 

Birds are singing praise…♪

Thank You for this break in the heavy rains. Thank You for 

♪Turning old things new

Grey skies blue…

…God who made the universe 

Knows me by my name

So it’s a good day♪ 

Indeed it is! Thank You for starting it off by reminding me to trust You (Proverbs 3:5-6). I love, need and want You as well. Use me as You know is best. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(191 words ~ 4:27 p.m.)

stating the obvious

 Monday, February 16, 2026 (6:26 a.m.)

Holy God,

I love You. I need You. I trust You. I want You. Perhaps I should start by stating the obvious with You more often.

Yes! Even AI supports this thought.

“Acknowledging obvious truths about God, such as His faithfulness, provides reassurance and grounds for trust. Stating the obvious can be a powerful way to affirm faith and recognize God’s work in the world and in personal life.”

Yes please. I want very much to be more appreciative of You in my life.

Words of love and promises

 Sunday, February 15, 2026 (5:00 a.m.)

Hi God,

Thank You. There was sleep. And hope. And words of love. Yes. Words of Your love. For each of us.

(5:13 a.m.)

Oh. And promises. Father, thank You for Your Word. Filled with love. And hope. And promises.

Isaiah 41:13. You speaking through Your prophet Isaiah to the sinful people of Judah. “I am holding you by your right hand - I, the LORD your God. And I say to you, ‘Do not be afraid. I am here to help you.’”

I like the sound of that. You willing to hold onto Your people. And help them. 

“See how very much our heavenly Father loves us, for He allows us to be called His children, and we really are!” (1 John 3:1a). Thank You that we get to be Yours. With all the love that comes with this distinction.

Father, I love, need, trust and want You. Continue Your work in making me all that You would have me be. Loving. Kind. Joyful. Peaceful. Patient. Good. Gentle. Faithful. And strong in spirit (Galatians 5:22).

Do Your best in, with, by, through and for me to represent You well. I want to worship, adore, glorify and enjoy You forever. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(217 words ~ 5:46 a.m.)