And this!

 Thursday, August 13, 2026  (3:49 a.m.)

Holy God,

There’s a song. I thought for sure it was going to be the easiest find. Surprise! It’s not!!

Rather than fuss and continue looking, I’m letting it go. Looking to You. Fully trusting and believing that You’ve got even this.

Not that the lyrics of a song are the most important part or start to my day. No. It’s not getting stuck on the small stuff that I want to practice. 

Yesterday my plans were completely changed. And I 

(4:11 a.m.)

Speaking of changed plans… what about that coffee mistake just now?

Thank You that the hissing I was hearing didn’t continue being ignored by me. Yes! Once I realized I had forgotten to put the carafe back into the machine I went running.

Here’s the best part Dear Lord. I laughed instead of cursing! Probably because the mess it was making was so easily contained. And cleaned up for a re-do.

Hm. Redo. Refresh. Restart. Begin again. Start over.

(4:28 a.m.)

And would You just look at this?!

(4:33 a.m.)

And this!

A computer glitch. Pages restored. And saved. Kind of like us, don’t You think?

(4:40 a.m.)

Father, my attention is all over the place. I look to You to corral my thoughts please. Because You already know them (Psalm 139:2b) I don’t need to make sense of it all (Proverbs 3:5b).

So let’s see if We [You and I] can bring this back around to some kind of order. Yes please.

Okay. First? The song. Thank You very much! Searching some random thought, I remembered a section of a phrase.

Because “but You did it anyway” didn't give me the result I was expecting, I thought I was wrong. Thank You for providing me with “99 You saw one”

Ta-Da! That’s what it took.

♪I’ve seen shame, the kind that comes from mistakes…

...When I left the ninety-nine, You saw the one…

...But You did it anyway♪

(I See Grace)

Oh Dearest God. There have already been so many mistakes this morning. Yet my heart feels stronger than it did yesterday.

Which takes us back to the plans that were completely changed. The essence of Proverbs 16:9 had immediately come to mind.

I confess to not having known what to do with myself at the time. “We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps.”

I was fully aware of options. I could easily busy myself in other directions. Feeling sad and disappointed came fairly quickly. As did a tinge of anger.

Father, thank You for the decision to sit. Be still. Acknowledge that I had already done enough for the day. I could reach out to friends. I didn’t have to fill the extra time with DO-ing more. Thank You for the time You provided me to just BE instead.

Perhaps that’s why this morning’s earlier coffee snafu was met with laughter rather than curses?

Lord God, I thank You for the ways You work in our hearts, our souls, our minds and our strength. Teach me to truly love You, others and myself (Mark 12:30-31) as You would have me.

I want to continue seeing Your grace in all You would have me encounter this day (Psalm 118:24a). The one You have made. That I will truly rejoice and be glad in it (v.24b).

Do all You must Blessed God. I love, need, trust and want You.

♪Grace, grace, God’s grace

Grace that is greater than all my sin…

…And just like that, oh, my past has been erased…♪

I want to be strong in Your grace (2 Timothy 2:1) Dear Lord. Living in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to You (Titus 2:12b). Yes please. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(640 words ~ 5:52 a.m.)

deserved glory

 Wednesday, August 12, 2026 (3:21 a.m.)

Gloriously Awesome, Perfect Father God,

In all things and through all things You deserve the glory.

♪For from You are all things

And to You are all things

You deserve the glory♪

Thank You that You truly deserve the glory Dear Lord. Talk with me please about what this even means.

Mm… the beauty of Your character. Of Your holiness.

Lord, these are much deeper thoughts than that with which I earlier awoke.

Today is brain surgery day for a friend. Romans 15:13 was the verse I opened to first.

Ben Campbell Johnson’s paraphrase of the apostle Paul’s letters says, “May God, the source of hope, fill you with joy and unite you through your trust in Him; and may your hope overflow through the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Father, thank You for being the good, gracious, glorious, great (Psalm 145:5-8) God that You are.

Having the privilege of turning in Your Word to David’s Song of Praise (1 Chronicles 16:7-36) I read of thanksgiving. Praise. Proclamations of Your greatness. Letting the whole world know what You have done.

Singing to You. Telling everyone of Your wonderful deeds. Exultation. Rejoicing. Searching for You, and Your strength. Continually seeking You.

Remembering the wonders You have performed. Your miracles.

Yes! Miracles.

(4:08 a.m.)

Blessed God, thank You for continuing to teach me the importance of looking for and recognizing the blessings You send our way. Many times packaged differently than we imagine.

Thank You for opportunities to sit. Listen. Share and explore thoughts.

Truly,

♪You are Worthy of It All, Jesus

For from You are all things

And to You are all things

You deserve the glory♪

(Romans 11:36)

You tell us repeatedly to “Fear not!” To “not worry about anything; instead pray about everything. Tell God what You need, and thank Him for all He has done” (Philippians 4:6).

And You follow Your Truth up with a promise. “Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus” (v. 7).

I was blessed by not only experiencing Your peace yesterday, but recognizing it in the moment for what it was. Yours!

Described in The Voice as “(a peace that is beyond any and all of our human understanding)” Thank You Father.

It is Your peace I pray for our friends. Your peace and all the blessings You have to provide for them. You deserve the glory!

Do all You must that we continue recognizing and serving You as You alone know is best. We love, need, trust and want You as absolute Lord of our lives. Use us. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(434 words ~ 4:40 a.m.)

the sweetest of loves

 ♪Holy Spirit, You are welcome here

Come flood this place and fill the atmosphere♪

Tuesday, August 11, 2026 (4:20 a.m.)

Holy God,

Thank You for knowing my heart (Luke 16:15). And loving me anyway. In spite of myself (Romans 5:8).

Thank You that we are allowed, encouraged even, to come to You. Exactly as we are.

♪I’ve tasted and seen…

Your presence, Lord♪  

And the missing lines?

♪… Of the sweetest of love

When my heart becomes free

And my shame is undone♪

Oh Dearest, Blessed God, please tell me more about shame that is undone. Love that is sweet. A heart that is free.

Ephesians 3:14-21

John 7:37-39; 13:34-35

(5:21 a.m.)

No sooner asked than answered. The opportunity to explore and read of other people’s experiences. Verses from Your Word serving as guideposts along the way.

Father, thank You for experiences that lead us to lean on and trust in You. Sparking hope. Faith. Belief.

Yes! 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♪

Use me exactly as You know is best. Yours is absolutely the sweetest of loves. I want to encounter and represent it well this day. Which You have made (Psalm 118:24a). Rejoicing and being glad in it (24b).

Do all You must Dearest God. That I will truly love as You desire. You. Others. And myself (Mark 12:31). With all my heart, soul, mind and strength (v. 30).

Sweetly. With a free heart. And undone shame.

Like ‘rivers of living waters’ flowing from the Spirit’s heart (John 7:38) through mine to others. I long to be Your vessel Lord. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(302 words ~ 5:45 a.m.)

Divine works of art

 Monday, August 10, 2026 (4:05 a.m.)

Blessed God,

Thank You. There have already been songs [Good Day, Counting Every Blessing]. And Scripture verses [2 Corinthians 12:9; Romans 15:13]. Word puzzle solving. And hot coffee.

Thank You for the privilege of bringing the simplest joys and successes to You. Thank You 

(4:20 a.m.)

… that by simply searching the phrase “privileged with God” a whole arsenal of verses opens up to me.

First is Ephesians 2:8-10. With the Truth of us being Your masterpieces. Each of us. Your own Divine works of art.

(4:30 a.m.)

Thank You for the ways You work, Lord. In, with, by, through and for us. Changing our thoughts (Romans 12:2). Shaping our wills to match Yours (Philippians 2:13).

Father, I ask (Matthew 7:7) You to do all You must in preparing me to serve, honor, glorify and enJOY You (Luke 12:35-48). To live as a citizen of heaven (Philippians 1:27a). Showing others Your goodness (1 Peter 2:9d).

You are so very good. Great. Glorious. And gracious (Psalm 145:5-8). I want to follow the path You have set out for me (Psalm 32:8-9; Isaiah 30:20-21).

Mm, yes Lord. I want to trust You to know exactly what You are doing in molding and making me (Isaiah 64:8) into all You have planned for me to be (Jeremiah 29:11). Fully and truly Yours!

I want to believe that You alone know what is best. Thank You for all You do. Praise You for who You are. I love, need, trust and want You as absolute Master of my thoughts, words, actions and very being (Acts 17:28). Use me to Your glory. Amen.

(290 words ~ 5:32 a.m.)

only the beginniing

 Sunday, August 9, 2026 (4:13 a.m.)

Blessed God,

Thank You that You are all that You are. And thank You for the resources that teach me more about all that is.

Supreme. Infinite. Eternal. Divine. Limitless. Loving. Holy. Just. Good. Merciful.

And those are only the beginning! You are mighty. Strong.

(5:05 a.m.)

♪…Jehovah-Jireh, Provider♪

(Your Way’s Better)

Every good and perfect gift… God is a Good Giver (John 3:16)

Working for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose

“It’s not what it looks like” (Matthew 1:18-25)

It’s a setup, not a letdown.

(5:31 a.m.)

Father God, thank You for speaking to me in the most unexpected ways. This time through a 2025 Christmas Eve message.

Lord, I confess to You the mopiness I’ve been encountering the past several days. Looking at situations as they appear. Forgetting that Your way IS better!

Thank You for this opportunity to sit and be reminded that things aren’t always as they seem. That You are always at work on our behalf (John 5:17; Romans 8:28).

Thank You for another chance to trust You and not be afraid. To depend on You. To be strong and of good courage. To remember that You are the Giver of good gifts.

Father, I love, need, trust and want You. I look to You in releasing the expectations I have been putting on myself and others. Do all that You know is best in teaching me to truly rejoice and be glad (Psalm 118:24b) in all that You have so generously and graciously provided.

♪Great Is Thy Faithfulness,

Lord unto me♪

Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(287 words ~ 6:00 a.m.)

no condemnation

 Saturday, August 8, 2026 (4:14 a.m.)

Holy, Holy God,

Please speak with me concerning Romans 8:1. “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

I’ve been doubting, blaming and reproaching myself for over an hour. Unsure if a decision I made yesterday was the best possible. Lord, I am looking to You. You know my heart. My intent. The ultimate outcome.

♪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♪

Thank You for the two smiles that came while singing this just now. Thank You for the hope these smiles represent to me. 

(5:06 a.m.)

Oh most Dear and Blessed God, how I thank You for the hope we have in You. Thank You for the Truth written in Your sacred Word.

I confess to You the dings my confidence has taken the past several days. Mistakes made. Responsibilities resisted.

Thank You that it is in reading of Your grace, Your forgiveness, Your love, Your will, Your way that I turn again to the power we have in You. Romans 15:13 especially right now.

The apostle Paul’s letter to the church at Rome again offers me the privilege of including myself in his prayer to Your people. Of which I am one.

“I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.”

These are all things I desperately need at the moment.

Thank You for slowing the condemnation I've been doing on myself these past many days. I ask (Matthew 7:7) You to fill me instead as Paul prayed. Completely. With joy and peace because I trust in You. Overflowing with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit!

Yes! indeed. Holy Spirit You ARE welcome here. Do all You must that I live this day (Psalm 118:24a) as You would have me. Rejoicing and being glad in it (24b). Singing. Smiling. Standing firmly and staying my mind on Your powerful Truth and promises.

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

(380 words ~ 5:36 a.m.)