confident certainty

 Saturday, October 10, 2026 (5:28 a.m.)

Most Holy God,

Thank You that we are invited into Your presence. To embrace and enjoy You.

(5:56 a.m.)

Mm, yes! Embrace. Enjoy. Delight. And meditate (Psalm 27:4c). 

Father, thank You for the opportunity to sit with You. Staying my mind on the hope we find in Your Word.

Hope. Yes. Hope… The confident certainty we have in Your unchanging character, power and promises.

“This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary” (Hebrews 6:19).

♪Oh, praise the One who paid my debt

And raised this life up from the dead…

Jesus Paid It All 

All to Him I owe

Sin had left a crimson stain

He washed it white as snow♪

(1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

(6:50 a.m.)

Blessed Lord, thank You for Bible verses that lead to song lyrics. And musical phrases that point to Scripture. I truly appreciate the ways You grab our attention right back to You.

The apostle Peter wrote to the Jewish Christians “To show us how to live well in a shattered and hopeless world” (THE BOTTOM LINE The Life Recovery Bible). Thank You that his words of hope steady and remind us of Your grace and peace.

According to Peter, we are to “be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead…” (1 Peter 1:6). There will be many trials for us to endure. And when our faith remains strong there will be “much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world” (v. 7).

And why is that? Because of the hope, that confident certainty, we have in Your goodness. Your grace. Your glorious greatness (Psalm 145:5-8).

(7:28 a.m.)

Father, thank You for Your constant reminders. They don’t change. Or fade.

You ARE our “Source of hope” (Romans 15:13a). Able to fill us completely with joy and peace because we trust in You. Then we will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit (v. 13b).

Thank You for pulling us into Your Word Dearest God. Empowering and enabling us to ‘take a new grip with our tired hands, standing firm on our shaky legs’ (Hebrews 12:12 The Message).

Continue Your work in disciplining us that we will grow into the people You designed us to be. I love, need, trust and want You dearest Lord. Do all You must that I will represent You well. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

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

another new day

 Friday, October 9, 2026 (5:55 a.m.)

Good morning Dear Lord,

Thank You for another day. Mm, yes. Another new day with You.

Psalm 121

Lamentations 3:22-23

Gratitude and openness

Faith and optimism

♪From the rising to the setting sun

His love endures Forever♪

Acts 17:24-25

2 Corinthians 9:14-15

Ephesians 2:8-10

(7:36 a.m.)

Father, thank You for the honor and the privilege of sitting with You. Reading in and of Your Word. Learning more new to me verses I have simply glossed over in the past.

(8:00 a.m.)

Lord, I want very much to continue thanking and praising You. I love, need, trust and want You. Continue all the work You are doing in, with, by, through and for me that I will truly come to representing You well. Glorifying and enJOYing You FOREVER!

Use me as only You know is best. Bravely. Unafraid.

Singing. Smiling. Standing, with my mind stayed firmly on Your Word of Truth and promises. Do all You must Dear Lord. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(177 words ~ 8:07 a.m.)

healthier mindset

 Thursday, October 8, 2026 (6:05 a.m.)

Thank You God!

It’s not what I had planned to say. Nor what I’ve been thinking for hours. But there it is. “Thank You God.” Complete with a smile.

I confess to You all the colors of language You heard come out of my mouth yesterday. A more than annoying traffic SNAFU added three hours to the expected 80 minute drive. Thank You for the plans that were ultimately changed because of it.

Thank You that right there in the midst of the tears and frustration was a dragonfly just as I was preparing to turn left onto N JOY ST. Thank You that the irony was not lost on me.

Father God, how I thank You for the plans You know You have for us.

(7:38 a.m.)

Yes Father. 

(8:12 a.m.)

I confess to the struggle I am experiencing in wanting to stay here with You coupled with the desire to go off and do so very many other things. I truly believe I might be trying to outrun my thoughts, feelings and emotions.

Yes! That’s it. If I stay still, they just might catch and ultimately overwhelm me. Thank You. If there is anything I want to be overwhelmed by, it’s You!

Father, I further confess to feeling weary. Fearful. Sad. Incredibly indecisive. With spurts of energy. Lots of lyrics. Full of hope one moment, discouraged the next. Highs. Lows. 

(9:00 a.m.)

I’m looking to You to provide all I need for a much healthier mindset. Thank You that through it all You remain good. Great. Glorious. Gracious (Psalm 145:5-8). 

(9:46 a.m.)

And here I’ve gone again. Phone calls. Inquiries. Seemingly small interruptions.

Resistance. Near surrender. Resolve. Determination. Hope. Breath. Yes. Let’s remember to breathe. Just for now. One long breath after another exhalation. Keep it all as simple as possible. Yes! Simple!!!

a smile and a sound

 Wednesday, October 7, 2026 (3:25 a.m.)

Blessed God,

Good morning. Thank You. That’s really all I’ve got right now. Good morning. And thanks.

Let’s go with those. They gave me a smile. And a sound. What is the word for that sound?

(3:49 a.m.)

As it turns out, I am not the only person to wonder this very thing. Turning to filter even this through others experiences, I find figurative gold.

Holy God, this search keeps taking me deeper into the rich benefits of smiling. And what smiles can represent. Thank You for teaching me to pay close attention as I become aware of them.

They represent joy. How cool is that?!

(4:32 a.m.)

And here we have it. Time spent together with You. Not having much to say. Or even think. Still I can be conscious of Your presence. And grateful for who You are and all You have done.

Father God, help me be even more aware of the simplest blessings You have for us. You are so very good. Great. Glorious. And gracious (Psalm 145:5-8). I truly want to do You proud.

Continue Your work in, with, by, through and for me Dear Lord. I love, need, trust and want You as the absolute Leader of my life. Do all You must that I worship, adore, glorify, enJOY and represent You well. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(237 words  ~ 4:50 a.m.)

all the more

 Tuesday, October 6, 2026 (4:41 a.m.)

Dearest Father,

You bless me. You keep me. You make Your face shine upon me and are gracious to me. You turn Your face toward me [and SMILE!] and give me peace (Numbers 6:24-26).

You do these things. And so very much more. Thank You Lord.

(5:01 a.m.)

. 

Thank You for the opportunity of exploring this favored blessing with You. Expanding and explaining words I have both heard and said for decades.

Bless and keep. Grow to encompass Your giving and guarding. Provision and protection.

(6:06 a.m.)

Father, as I look around, taking in all that You make available to me, I absolutely consider myself blessed and kept. Thank You for all You do on my behalf.

You presented a brand new to me experience yesterday. Being a support and gear [SAG] vehicle for a 65 mile bike trek up a mountain. Father, thank You!

Tears were shed. Emotions choked. And beauty beheld. Giving even more meaning to Psalm 121:1 as I came it this morning.

“I look up to the mountains - does my help come from there?” Thank You Father that the answer comes in the very next verse.

“My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth!” (V.2).

Oh it does! Thank You that our help does indeed come from You, Lord.

I didn’t stumble (3a) yesterday when my sandaled footing was not secure. Thank You that You don’t slumber (3b). Thank You that in Your watching You never slumber nor sleep (4).

Thank You for watching over me (5a). Standing beside me as my protective shade (5b). I appreciated each turn out with shadows keeping me from the glaring sun. It did NOT harm me by day (6a) nor the moon last night (6b).

We were truly blessed and kept by You Dear Lord. Thank You.

You kept us from all harm (7a). And watched over our lives (7b).

Here I ask (Matthew 7:7) You Blessed Father, keep watching over us as we come and go, both now and forever (Psalm 121:8).

I love, need, trust and want You Dearest Lord. Do all You must that I worship, adore, glorify, enJOY and represent You as You know is best. Use me as You are so inclined. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(393 words ~ 6:58 a.m.)

new to me

 Monday, October 5, 2026 (3:38 a.m.)

Most Holy God,

Again I thank You. For sleep. Rest. Waking. Air. Life. Beauty. Choices.

(3:44 a.m.)

And brand new to me things to learn. Challenges. Confusion. Curiosity. And even computer glitches that I don’t understand.

Yes, Father. Thank You for the myriad of information over which I have no understanding. New to me experiences.

(4:00 a.m.)

Yes Dearest God and Father. Thank You for all You know over which I haven’t even a clue. Brand new to me encounters. Ways of looking [and seeing] circumstances and challenges differently.

(4:13 a.m.)

Thank You that we have You. Your Word. Your Truth. Your promises. To comfort and to guide us.

Lord, I ask (Matthew 7:7) You to “make a pathway through the wilderness” (Isaiah 43:19c) that is my mind right now.

God, Turn It Around

I want to rest in the beginning of David’s Psalm (139) trusting and believing that You “have examined my heart and know everything about me” (v.1). It is because of You that “we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28).

Do all You must that I represent You well this day (Psalm 118:24a). The one You have made. That I will truly “rejoice and be glad in it” (v. 24b).

Yes Father! Continue teaching me to “Shout with joy to You” (Psalm 100:1a). Worshipping You with gladness (v.2a). Acknowledging You, the LORD, as God (3a).

Entering Your gates with thanksgiving in my heart (4) and Your courts with praise (4b). Giving You thanks and praising Your name (4c).

All because You are good (Psalm 100:5a). “Your unfailing love continues forever, and Your faithfulness to each generation” (5b, c). Yes!

This is the Truth I want to stand in. Lean on. Trust. Depend.

Do all You must Blessed God, that I worship, adore, glorify, enJOY and represent You well all of this very day. Keep bringing my thoughts, words, actions and being right back to all You would have me think, say and do.

I love, need, trust and want You Blessed God. As absolute Lord and Father of my life. Use me exactly as You know is best. Fully esteeming and revering You Thank You. Praise You.

God, Turn It Around

Amen.

(391 words ~ 4:41 a.m.)

of my own making

 ♪I’ve been Washed in the water

Washed in the blood…♪

Sunday, October 4, 2026 (4:39 a.m.)

Monrovia, CA

♪I’m as good as new

Oh, hallelujah…♪

♪Again and again…

…The mess I was in♪

(Goodbye, Yesterday)

(4:43 a.m.)

Most Blessed Lord God,

Oh, hallelujah! How truly I thank You for rescuing me out of the messes. So many of my own making. Either from neglect. Or out and out rebellion?

Thank You that I don’t have to ♪waste another minute in my old ways♪ I get to “live in the Light of this new day” Yes! ♪Dancing’ on the grave that I once lived in♪

♪Light Of The World 

You stepped down into darkness

Opened my eyes 

Let me see♪

(5:00 a.m.)

Right at this very moment, may I just say? “Wow! I did NOT see this coming!” Thank You Father.

I woke up singing of being washed in the water and the blood. Now I’m considering the Light of the world (John 8:12) AND the Truth (John 8:32a) we were re-exposed to last night at church. That very Truth that sets us free (v. 32b).

Thank You for the ways songs are corresponding with Scripture and leading me deeper into Your Word. 1 John 1:5-7 speaks of living in Your light. How truly blessed we are for this privilege. Thank You God.

I confess to You Father, the mess I was in. I want very much to live in the Light of this new day. Not wasting another minute in my old ways. Because of You Lord, we ARE born again!

Use me EXACTLY as You alone know is best. Loving You, others and myself with all my heart, soul, mind and strength (Mark 12:30-31). Do all You must to Your good and perfect end. I love, need, trust and want You Lord. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(318 words ~ 1:23a.m.)