discipline

Monday, March 31, 2014 (8:15 a.m.)

Awesome and Amazing God,

You helped me sleep. One moment I was almost wide awake confessing powerlessness to You and the next I was joyfully resting in the comfort You provided.

Acknowledging to You the random, mindless and out of control eating I have been doing recently freed me to trust You to restore me to whatever sanity You see best. And with that happy truth I fell deeply and soundly back to sleep.

Father, thank You. I don't even know where to start. Truly. I don't have a clue.

You are good. Faithful. Loving. Kind. Perfect. Wonderful. And I am in need of Your discipline. Ack! What am I saying?

Oh, but it's true. I know I am in desperate need of Your discipline. I have fallen headlong back into practices that do not serve You well. Your Word is speaking to me again.

Revelation 3:19 (GOD'S WORD Translation), “I correct and discipline everyone I love. Take this seriously and change the way you think and act.”

Isaiah 38:16 (The Living Bible), “O Lord, Your discipline is good and leads to life and health. Oh, heal me and make me live!”

Hebrews 12:6 (The Voice), “For the Lord disciplines those He loves, and He corrects each one He takes as His own.”

Now much is said in all I've read. Some of the translators used the word 'punish'. I'm not so keen on asking You to punish me. 'Teach'? Yes. Absolutely! 'Correct'? I'm up for that. 'Chastise; severely discipline; scourge; whip'? Oh, I'd really rather not.

But here's my thinking. You DO know what You are doing. I CAN trust You to love me as You know is best. So as tentative as I may feel in the asking, I commit to You my plea. Discipline me as You know best.

I love You. I long to serve You. And I want to do it in Your power. Not my own. Bless me. Keep me. And just like that I'm reading a section (Hebrews 12:1-13) in The Illustrated Bible Handbook.

“God's discipline is always loving (6). Difficulty is not an indication that God is displeased with us. It is evidence of His love!” Thank You.

“God's discipline is a family matter (7,8). A father only accepts responsibility for the training of legitimate children! The fact that God disciplines shows that we are really His own.” Yes!

“God's discipline is purposive (10). God never acts on impulse. He always looks ahead and has our benefit in view. His purpose is that we might grow to 'share His holiness.'” Yes Dad, I want to share Your holiness.

“God's discipline is effective (11). God's training may bring a temporary pain, but it will produce righteousness and peace.” Hmm, nice.

“God's discipline calls for response. Rather than becoming listless or falling into paralyzed inactivity, we are to continue vigorously on, sure that the discipline will not disable us but bring healing.”

That is my prayer Blessed Father. I want You to use me to Your good and to Your glory. Discipline me that I would be an active participant in Your plan. You are good. You are holy. And I believe You know what You are doing. Guide and direct my heart, soul, mind and strength to loving as You would have me love (Mark 12:30-31).

Don't let me waste a moment of Your precious time this day. I love You. I want to serve You. And I want to do it on Your terms. Thank You Father. I love You. Amen.

(599 words ~ 9:40 a.m.)

So...

Sunday, March 30, 2014 (8:30 a.m.)

So...

I've been avoiding coming here to You ever since I got up this morning. Beforehand, I was eager and excited. What happened? What changed?

While honestly not having a clue, I want to start thanking You and see where that takes us. So... Thank You for Your love. Your love that encompasses us all. Your love that brings us together. Your love that holds us together.

I keep thinking of all those who love You yet don't like one another. How does this translate to You? I also think of how much I love You while at the same time being stubborn and judgmental.

How do I lay all the negatives down and just come to You? By rejoicing. What? I don't feel like rejoicing. I want to...

The list of negatives could continue should I choose it. Thank You that YOU change my focus. Searching around in Your Word I get to read John's first letter to an unnamed group of early churches. At the time (A.D. 85-96) he was the only surviving apostle. He wrote to share Your Truth.

The Illustrated Bible Handbook deems 1 John as “Fellowship with God”. Hmm. That seems a great place for me to start.

“The word 'fellowship' means literally, 'sharing.' That is what this warm NT letter is about: a life of intimate sharing of ourselves with God and with each other.” Okay. I can go along with that.

“For all who want to know and experience God in a deeply personal way, John's first letter is full of promise. In it the aging apostle of love invites us to come and journey into joy.” Yes please. I want very much to journey into joy with You!

Under Structure and Outline this letter is described as “John's brief statements, made in simple words, feature contrast. He speaks of light against darkness, truth against error, God against satan, life against death, love against hate.” That seems to be where I am this day.

In the back of my mind (heart and soul) the Truth of 1Corinthians 13:1 keeps stepping forward. “What if I could speak all languages of humans and of angels? If I did not love others, I would be nothing more than a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.” Blessed Father God, I want to be so much more than that!

Back to The Handbook. Chapter 1:1-4. Invitation to Joy. “This letter, like John's Gospel, goes back beyond creation to affirm a pre-existing Jesus (cf. John 1:1-13). John's message is always Jesus: Jesus as God's life-giving word (1)”.

What would it be like to know Jesus like that? “John stresses the fact that his experience with Jesus has had a continuing impact in his life... It is this continuing fellowship John wants other Christians to share (3).”

Me too Father. I want to watch my Christian friends enjoy fellowship with You. “John writes warmly and urgently. He knows that fellowship with God is our only hope to know real joy.”

YOU brought me here to You this morning and I thank you! Thank You for the writings of Your apostle. And thank You for the introduction to First John in The Life Recovery Bible.

“Because John's letter was about the basics of faith in Christ, it helped his readers take inventory of their faith. It helped them answer the question, Are we true believers?”

I confess Blessed Father, I ask myself that question often.

“John told them that they could tell by looking at their actions: If they loved one another, that was evidence of God's presence in their lives. But if they bickered and fought all the time, or were selfish and did not look out for one another, they were betraying that they, in fact, did not know God.”

You keep working in me. Many are the times that my own emotions start to take over while Your Word remains firm. “Stop lying to each other; tell the truth, for we are parts of each other and when we lie to each other we are hurting ourselves” (Ephesians 4:25).

Your Word Father. Your Word is chockfull of Truth! “If you are angry, don't sin by nursing your grudge. Don't let the sun go down with you still angry – get over it quickly; for when you are angry, you give a mighty foothold to the devil” (vs. 26-27).

There is so incredibly much to be found in Your Word. How could I possibly want to go to all those other places than right straight here with You? Keep working in me. Changing me. Loving me. Making me into the woman You created me to be. One who truly rejoices in all You are!

I love You Blessed God. And I want to serve You as You would have me serve. Teach me. Guide me. Mold me. Make me. Do in and through me all that only You can. I love You. Thank You. Amen.

(835 words ~ 9:55 a.m.)

thankful heart

Friday, March 28, 2014 (7:41 a.m.)

Holy God,

Thank You. There is always more than one thing to thank You for. Right now it's for the ability and desire to come to You with a thankful heart. Hmm, yes. A truly thankful heart.

Thank You that focusing on You, Your Word and things that go well allows my breathing to change. I get to feel muscles relax that I didn't even know had been tense. You do this in me.

Recognizing meanness when I become aware of it provides me the opportunity to give in to it or to fight against it. Thank You Father for helping me want to steer clear of behaving badly.

I love when Your Word causes me to smile. So often I come to You with nothing particular to say and the next thing I know You have me caught me. Hook, line and sinker!

This morning I find myself reading in Paul's letter to the believers at Colosse. Here he was showing that Jesus is the only real source of power in our life. How I thank You for every reminder of this.

Colossians 2:9-10, “For in Christ there is all of God in a human body; so you have everything when you have Christ, and you are filled with God through your union with Christ. He is the highest Ruler, with authority over every other power” (The Living Bible).

I am never ceased to be pleased every single time I find myself smiling, especially when it's brought on by something I read in Your Word. Just now it was Colossians 2:6, “And now just as you trusted Christ to save you, trust Him, too, for each day's problems; live in vital union with Him.”

I came to this particular letter of Paul's because I searched two words together; thankful heart. The Message reads, “Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ – the Message – have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives – words, actions, whatever – be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way” (Colossians 3:15-17).

I get to choose. Reading around in this letter I am reminded, “It wasn't so long ago you were doing all that stuff [doing whatever you feel like whenever you feel like it, and grabbing whatever attracts your fancy. That's a life shaped by things and feelings instead of by God] and not knowing any better. But you know better now, so make sure it's all gone for good: bad temper, irritability, meanness, profanity, dirty talk” (3:5-8).

I caught myself yesterday. Right in the middle of cursing instead of blessing, I realized what I was doing and I started singing instead. Singing words to a tune I was making up right on the spot. Words that I didn't even believe at the moment. But as I continued singing them, I realized I was singing Truth not anger. And again I smiled. You keep helping me smile.

And even right there. “The word translated 'keep' [used in Philippians 4:7, “His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus”] is a military term that means to keep under guard, like one protected by a sentry. The image is one of a guard marching around the border of our heart and mind to keep out the pressing anxieties of life. This is only promised if we routinely turn every worry and need over to God and develop an attitude of gratitude. When we turn our worries over to the care of God, we will discover His protection and experience the inner peace that passes all understanding” (The Life Recovery Bible Self-protection Colossians 3:1-4).

And here I come back around, full circle to where we began so much earlier. I went back to Your Word searching out “cultivate thankfulness” (The Message) and I settled in at verse 15 of the Easy-to-Read Version. “Let the peace that Christ gives control your thinking. It is for peace that you were chosen to be together in one body. And always be thankful.”

LET the peace that Christ gives control my thinking. Let. Allow. Permit. It happens for me sometimes without my even noticing. Like yesterday when I sang instead of curse.

YOU are cultivating [growing, developing, working] thankfulness in my heart and I am grateful. Thank You. Continue Your refining work in me most Blessed God. Thank You. I love You. Amen. 

(806 words ~ 9:27 a.m.)

"provide our every need"

Thursday, March 27, 2014 (7:52 a.m.)

Most Holy God,

I'm here with not much to say. So let me begin with, “Thank You.” You provide.

Yes! You provide our every need. And just like that I am sitting here in awe of You again. Searching the phrase “provide our every need” yielded me two sections of Scripture. Both have my heart jumping with hope.

With that said, I don't even now which most to pursue. I am excited. Hope-filled. Agog. Eager to tell. You provide our every need. Maybe not our wants. But absolutely our needs! Thank You Father. Thank You God.

Ephesians 1:7-10. Yes. That's the one. “Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, His blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we're a free people – free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free! He thought of everything, provided for everything we could possibly need, letting us in on the plans He took such delight in making. He set it all out before us in Christ, a long-range plan in which everything would be brought together and summed up in Him, everything in deepest heaven, everything on planet earth.”

And as if this passage from The Message were not enough, I read along even further in The Living Bible. “Moreover, because of what Christ has done, we have become gifts to God that He delights in, for as part of God's sovereign plan we were chosen from the beginning to be His, and all things happen just as He decided long ago” (v.11).

I'm a gift to You? That You delight in? Whoa! How have I never paid attention to that before? I'm a part of Your sovereign plan and all things happen as You decided long ago. Should I chose to believe this, why in this world would I ever want to worry and fret and stew about all the variables that we come across every day.

(1:53 p.m.)

Oh, but now I'm reading again in The Message.

“It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, He had His eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose He is working out in everything and everyone” (Ephesians 1:11-12).

What comfort and joy we get to take away from reading Your Word! How I thank You for every single need You meet!

This morning I needed to want to be here with You. You provided for me. I hadn't even properly asked and You gave me what I needed. Thank You Dearest God.

Paul shared this very truth in his letter of thankful joy to the Philippians (4:19). Quoted here from The Voice, “Know this: my God will also fill every need you have according to His glorious riches in Jesus the anointed, our Liberating King.”

Loving Father, how I thank You. Keep me in Your presence as I proceed with the remainder of this day. I love You and long to be the woman You created me to be. Make it so Dearest Dad, make it so.

Thank You. I love You. Amen.

(546 words ~ 2:17 p.m.)

purpose

Wednesday, March 26, 2014 (7:42 a.m.)

Awesome, Holy God,

Good morning. I love You. I'm here. And I'm listening. Where would You like to lead us this morning? I came wondering about purpose. As in, doing things on...

I don't know that that's the best way to spend our time together so I'm truly asking that You would lead so I would follow.

(8:18 a.m.)

Thirty-three verses in The Message mention purpose.

Some, more easily than others, were readily bypassed on my way to where You might be leading me. Others had me reading even more deeply. Blessed Father, here again I pause to ask where You would most like me to spend this time together.

I know Your love and power through Jesus is involved. Many of the verses I've read reinforce that Truth. Sharing freely is also included.

Psalm 36:5-6, “God's love is meteoric, His loyalty astronomic, His purpose titanic, His verdicts oceanic. Yet in His largeness nothing gets lost; Not a man, not a mouse, slips through the cracks.”

Proverbs 16:1 “[Everything with a Place and a Purpose] Mortals make elaborate plans, but God has the last word.”

Proverbs 19:21 “We humans keep brainstorming options and plans, but God's purpose prevails.” Even more succinctly put, The Living Bible reads, “Man proposes, but God disposes [arranges].”

As Jesus promised His troubled disciples that His going away would yield them “a gift – peace of mind and heart!” (John 14:27), He followed with the urging, “If you loved me, you would be glad that I'm on my way to the Father because the Father is the goal and purpose of my life” (28b).

Blessed Father, I want that to be true of my life. To have You be my goal and purpose? I don't even know what that would look like. Oh, but I'd love to live as if it were so. Teach me. Show me. Enable and empower me in that direction.

My heart quickens as I continue reading Jesus' words to His followers. And now the tears. Not at all where I had expected to tarry.

John 15:11, “I've told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature.” I truly don't know what joy like that is!

The verses (12-15) that follow delve deeply into His demand that His listeners, “love each other as much as I love you” (v.12 – TLB).

The Life Recovery Bible comment for verse 15 tells that 'Jesus demonstrated Your desire to be our friend, not our taskmaster.' It goes on describing how few of us have “experienced God on such friendly, intimate terms.” Through this verse, “Jesus urges us to think again and trust” that You would become our friend through Him, empowering and enabling us to love as You would have us love.

Father, make that my purpose for this day. Do the work in me that You must, teaching me to love others as freely as Jesus did.

I love You. I long to love You better and well. Make it so this day. Thank You. I love You. Amen.

(523 words ~ 9:32 a.m.)

always

Tuesday, March 25, 2014 (7:18 a.m.)

Most Loving, Holy, Father God,

I love You! And I thank You. You kept me company in a couple of sleepless early morning hours. We came home from our trip to news of serious health issues and two deaths. With several hours of sleep behind me and feeling rather rested, my pre-dawn mind started spinning “what if” scenarios.

Thank You for intervening. You brought to mind repeatedly that I was to give thanks to You in all things. This is not my typical response to problems. I'm usually wired to dwell on worse possible outcomes. Thank You for short-circuiting those thoughts and redirecting me again to Your Word.

Give thanks in all things (1Thessalonians 5:18). Don't worry about anything, instead pray about everything (Philippians 4:6). Fear not. Be alert, not afraid. These did not used to be my go to responses to problematic situations. Thank You for changing me.

Thank You too for Your ability to make me laugh and smile. Just thinking of 'the mind of Christ' I searched the phrase. Several verses showed up. One of them being 1 Corinthians 2:16. It's the last sentence of The Life Recovery Bible comment for verses 14 and 15 that brought on the chuckles for me again just now.

“Only when we face the fact that our life is insane can we open ourself to God and His good plan for us.” Amen to that!

All my attempts to make sense of any painful circumstance only leaves me lacking joy. And that goes directly against Paul's words to the believers in Thessalonica. He was calling them to stay alert for Christ's return. Always.

The smile has become a clenched jaw. Tears are again forming in my eyes. I confess to You the thoughts I have concerning the health of loved ones. I realize they are all in Your hands, yet I find myself wanting to steer You to my outcome.

Keep working with me Daddy. Paul told his readers to: “Always be joyful. Always keep on praying. No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus” (1Thessalonians 5:16-18).

Always. Not often or sometime. Always. Tall order Dearest God. Really tall order! Not one I can fill on my own. Yet, here comes another smile. And the tears all at the same time.

“God Is Our Source of Hope: If we placed our trust in Christ to save us from sin, we will live with Him forever – we have eternal life. But we can have hope in more than just life beyond the grave; we can also have hope in what God brings to our life in the present. The power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead is nothing less than the power of God – the God to whom we have entrusted our life. With this kind of power available to us, there is ALWAYS (emphasis mine) hope!” (RECOVERY THEMES The Life Recovery Bible)

Always, Father. Keep my thoughts right there with You so that I will not be afraid. And with that very plea, the music (Matt Redman – You Never Let Go) starts in my head.

♫Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death (Psalm 23:4) Your perfect love is casting out fear (1John 4:18) And even when I'm caught in the middle of the storms of this life I won't turn back, I know You are near. I will fear no evil For my God is with me And if my God is with me Whom then shall I fear Whom then shall I fear (Psalm 27:1)

Your Word supplies us with hope for the day. You provide us the power to muscle through. It is to You I turned in the darkest hours of this morning. And just like always, You were here. Thank You Father.

Bless and keep our loved ones. Make Your face shine upon them. Be gracious to them. Turn Your face toward them and give them peace “Numbers 6:24-26). Give us all the strength and the courage to meet this day. Thank You Father. I love You. Amen.

(700 words ~ 8:46 a.m.)

fresh mercies

Monday, March 24, 2014 (6:58 a.m.)

Blessed Father,

Thank You for Your faithfulness. Your kindness. Your fresh mercies. Mm, yes. Thank You for the opportunity to come before You to explore The Gift of Our Emotions.

I turned in Your Word [The Life Recovery Bible] to Lamentations. Intending to head directly to 3:21-23, I stopped instead at the Book Introduction. Once again I find hope in Jeremiah's honest approach to You. I am struck by the sheer poetry of his words. How very grateful I am for the privilege to be open before You.

Blessed God, I read of grief, consequence and forgiveness. Humility. Loss. And freedom. Under RECOVERY THEMES is The Importance of Grief. “Grief is the process that helps us to recover from our losses. In it we come to terms with our past and find freedom to live in the reality of the present.”

Father, there is so much more here than I could have even imagined. I just followed Your lead to this treasure trove of tranquility! Thank You. Thank You for the peacefulness that seems to have enveloped me.

Yesterday I gave You little more than a moment of myself. Today I sit here quietly rejoicing in Your loving-kindness that comes to us fresh each morning. Reading the Truth of all we are in You, again I am grateful for the hope that comes from trusting You. Your Word. Your promises.

Thank You for this hope that encompasses our steps toward trusting You with our lives, our thoughts, our loved ones. Trust, faith, hope are all risky. Things might turn out the way we want. We may get hurt. Opening ourselves up instead of closing ourselves off can be scary. Potentially painful.

Yet until we take that giant leap of trusting You to provide fresh mercies everyday, we run the risk of stagnating in cocoons of our own making. We cannot keep ourselves safely wrapped away from the hurts that might assail us. We need to trust You for the strength that comes from Your mighty power within us (Ephesians 6:10).

That is exactly what I ask of You this morning Blessed Father. Provide my every need. Your strength. Your power working in and through me. Guide my thoughts. My actions. Direct me to Your fresh mercies that I would freely share them with all in need of them.

I love You Father. I need You. Bless me and keep me in the workings of Your Word. Thank You for allowing me into Your presence. Grow me. Use me. I love You. Amen.

(428 words ~ 8:59 a.m.)

big plans

Sunday, March 23, 2014 (11:39 a.m.)

Big plans. Yep. That was me.

Big plans and fanciful ideas. I was gonna come home and hit the ground running. Refreshed. Renewed. Rejoicing. The longer I have sat here this morning, the less likely it seems that will happen.

Blessed God,

I need You. Your Truth. Your guidance. Your direction. You in action, through me.

My thoughts have turned to annoyances. The little things that can get in the way of progress have distracted me.

changed

Saturday, March 22, 2014 (6:59 a.m.)

Port of Houston, TX

Awesome, Loving God,

You've changed me. We 'escaped completely' and You changed my ways of thinking and doing. Keep working in me Blessed Dad. There's a freedom. A willingness to hope. An excitement that I haven't experienced in such a long time. A true sense of being “AGOG With God”! Excited and eager to tell.

I didn't cry yesterday. Our trip was coming to an end and I didn't shed a single tear. THAT's an incredible difference! You provided our every need and then some. We had a blissfully wonderful time. Disappointments and misunderstandings were handled in timely and appropriate manners.

Mm, manners. Searching that one word in my documents just now yielded me a flood of memories. A flood, yet still no tears! Thanks Dad.

Use these changes You are making in me to Your good and to Your glory. I love You. I long to serve You. And I am ever so grateful for Your loving kindnesses. Thank You. I love You. Amen.

(181 words ~ 7:28 a.m.)

♫Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me♫

Friday, March 21, 2014 (7:43 a.m.)

Cruising north to Port of Houston, TX

Awesome God,

Thank You! An unexpected view has me singing to You. Late last night and again this morning sights in the sky have surprised me.

A gasp at seeing an old-time football helmet shaped moon had us leaning on the ship's railing before bed. Sleeping with the curtains and the balcony door open afforded me a comfortable view of the predawn cloudy sky.

Seeing some pink on the eastern horizon, I scrambled to set up an impromptu viewing station. How blessed was I to have coffee delivered by a seemingly Italian fellow who was as impressed by the view as myself. Completing the moment with a kiss of his fingers in appreciation.

As the clouds parted giving way to an intensely brilliant sun, how grateful am I for the husband's willingness to hunt out and find the compact spring umbrella I brought for just this occasion. Remaining completely comfortable and fully shaded from the sun's bright rays. Priceless! Thank You Father.

And now, back to the song. It's continued softly in my head this whole time. ♫Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me♫

(8:44 a.m.)

Success!

I wasn't sure how best to find the Bible verse I had written this song title next to. Shortcuts in searching did not avail much. Checking verse by verse from the NIV Compact Concordance under 'peace' finally gave me Psalm 34:14.

A penciled bracket beginning at verse 11 has me reading that section. A comment at The Life Recovery Bible page bottom has me looking to verse eight. Another comment directs me to the first verse.

My reading draws me up into Psalm 33 and I sit here contemplating Your goodness and Your grace. Daddy God, I want desperately to live what I am poring over. “Let all the joys of the godly well up in praise to the Lord, for it is right to praise Him” (Psalm 33:1). Yes!

“Play joyous melodies of praise...” (v. 2). “Compose new songs...” (3). “For all God's words are right, and everything He does is worthy of our trust. He loves whatever is just and good; the earth is filled with His tender love” (4-5). “Let everyone in all the world – men, women and children – fear the Lord and stand in awe of Him (8).

Yes! Yes, please! “No wonder we are trusting Him. We trust His holy name. Yes, Lord, let Your constant love surround us, for our hopes are in You alone” (21-22).

As I move back down into Psalm 34, I ask that Your work would continue in making me a truly, living, breathing example of Your Truth. “I will praise the Lord no matter what happens. I will constantly speak of His glories and grace. I will boast of His kindness to me. Let all who are discouraged take heart. Let us praise the Lord together and exalt His name” (1-3).

I confess Blessed Father, I don't do this consistently. I hit and miss as circumstances change. “For I cried to Him and He answered me! He freed me from all fears” (4). You have! Repeatedly. Yet far too often I repeat old patterns.

“This poor man [woman, in this case] cried to the Lord – and the Lord heard him [her] and saved him [her] out of his [her] troubles. For the Angel of the Lord guards and rescues all who reverence Him” (6-7).

Mm. That's me. I get to keep seeing myself right here in Your Word. “Oh, put God to the test and see how kind He is! See for yourself the way His mercies shower down on all who trust in Him” (8). I believe You. I do. Yet...

I forget. Lose focus. Revert.

“If you belong to the Lord, reverence Him; for everyone who does this has everything He needs. Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry, but those of us who reverence the Lord will never lack any good thing” (9-10).

You provide my every need. You do. I've seen it happen. It's Your peace I am experiencing. Your peace I long to share with others.

“Sons and daughters, come and listen and let me teach you the importance of trusting and fearing the Lord. Do you want a long, good life? Then watch your tongue! Keep your lips from lying. Turn from all known sin and spend your time in doing good. Try to live in peace with everyone. Work hard at it” (11-14).

♫Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me♫

This I ask You Dearest Daddy God, make me an instrument of Your peace. “When we experience deliverance from God, it should be natural for us to praise Him and share the good news with others. If we care about other people who suffer as we did, we would be selfish not to tell how we found help” (34:1-7 The Life Recovery Bible comment).

Sharing. Yes. Sharing Your Good News. Your blessings. I've yet to become accomplished [proficient, talented, adept, masterly, successful, skilled, capable, efficient, seasoned, practiced, trained, great, nifty] at this.

“Boasting about our God and the help He has given us is one kind of boasting that is good to do. We will find that this kind of godly boasting will not only encourage others in their recovery, but it will also strengthen our faith in God” (34:1-7).

Make it so in me Dearest Daddy. Make it so. I love You. I thank You. I praise You. “May my spoken words and unspoken thoughts be pleasing even to You, O Lord my Rock and my Redeemer” (Psalm 19:14). Please. Thank You. I love You. Amen.

 (968 words ~ 10:09 a.m.)

"Beautiful!"

Thursday, March 20, 2014 (7:42 a.m.)

Cruising north toward Port of Houston, TX

“Beautiful!”

That was my first clear thought upon opening the drapes to come sit out here with You. Almost black waters accented by the aquamarine wake directly below me. The moon still visible to my right reminds me of having come out hours ago to watch its glow amongst the stars.

“Beautiful!” Absolutely beautiful!

Blessed God, thank You for this opportunity. This opportunity to sit and rest. Relax. Enjoy. Reflect. Consider. Plan. Reconsider. Rejoice. Regret. Retract. Repent. Repeat.

It seems the more I am indulged [pampered, spoiled] the shorter my fuse. And I guess that makes perfect sense. Too much food, too little exercise, lots of free time, not enough responsibility and I begin behaving like a two year old in need of a nap.

Thank You for the opportunity to begin again. Often.

(9:26 a.m.)

Like right now.

For almost two hours I have sat here watching the moon practically fade from sight. Three white birds [doves?] seemed to be playfully following behind us. The ocean appears to be more blue than black and still I concentrate on the beauty You set before us.

Is it truly in the eye of the beholder? Lost on some, yet plentiful to others. I want desperately to be counted as one who not only sees, but appreciates, Your beauty!

The praise song ♫Beautiful♫ keeps singing itself to me. ♫Beautiful. Beautiful. Jesus is beautiful. And Jesus makes beautiful things of my life. Carefully. Touching me. Causing my eyes to see. Jesus makes beautiful things of my life.♫

Mm, there's such a peacefulness that settles around me here.

(10:34 a.m.)

And did I mention the beauty? Loving God, I just can't thank You enough for the beauty! The aquamarine color of the seawater is subtly changing to more of a turquoise. Beautifully accented by the lacy white purity of the gently swirling path the ship is making. Beautiful! Absolutely beautiful!

Blessed Father who we dearly love, You are refreshing and recharging us through this trip. Let us use all the resources You provide to Your good and to Your glory. We have yet to do that consistently and well. We truly want to be Your good and faithful servants. Good stewards.

Looking to Your Word, I read again A Story About Using Gifts Wisely (Matthew 5:14-30). We freely gave on two separate occasions this trip. It felt good to be helpful. Empower, embolden, equip us to do so even more often.

You are so good and Your gifts so limitless. Truly teach us Your meaning of sharing. With hands and hearts wide open. We love You Daddy God. We need You. And we long to please You. Equip us to do exactly that. Thank You. We love You. Amen.

(474 words ~ 11:19 a.m.)

two kites

Wednesday, March 19, 2014 (6:39 a.m.)

Channel to Belize City, Belize

Awesome Holy God,

The first word I had planned to say here this morning was, “Ow!” As in, I wonder if my pinky toe is broken. But again You have changed my focus. Two kites soaring right off the back of the ship. Much like we talked about bringing. Except these were birds, not toys.

Once again You amaze me. It wasn't until a few days ago I learned that kites can also be “a medium to large long-winged bird of prey that typically has a forked tail and frequently soars on updrafts of air.”

Thank You for the opportunity to learn more words:

“Caribe - another term for 'piranha'.”

“Carib - a member of an indigenous [native, original] South American people living mainly in coastal regions of French Guiana, Suriname, Guyana, and Venezuela.”

See? More things I never knew. I have the resources to look things up. Which bring me back to the two kites.

Thursday, March 20, 2014 (11:21 a.m.)

I spent a good portion of yesterday searching Your Word for the verse that had originally taught me that kites have mates. Not finding it, I unexpectedly observed far more than the original two kites I had first seen.

You never cease to amaze and teach me. How I thank You for Your kindness, Your goodness and Your glorious generosity. Keep working in me that I would joyfully use them well. Thank You. I love You. Amen.

(259 words ~ 11:58 a.m.)

descriptive words

Tuesday, March 18, 2014 (7:14 a.m.)

Nearing Roatan, Honduras

Holy, Holy, Holy, Blessed Father God,

The list of descriptive words abounds. Holy. Blessed. Incredible. Awesome. Generous. LORD. Living. Loving. Jealous. Merciful. Mighty. There are 7¾ pages of them in the NIV Compact Concordance I am using and I'm just getting started.

Faithful. My. Great. Your. Eternal. The. One. Our. True. His. Their. Gracious. Righteous. Wise. Powerful. Supreme. King. Shield. Most High. Judge. Present. Rock. Perfect. Savior. Glorious. Refuge. Strength. Strong. Knowing. Miraculous.

And here is where I will stop looking for more descriptive words. Four pages in. Psalm 84:11. Tears tightening my throat the moment I read what I had written almost seven years. Two asterisks for verse ten, followed by music notes.

♫Better is one day in Your courts Better is one day in Your house Better is one day in Your courts Than thousands elsewhere♫

“Amen! Thank You God!!” is what I had written at the bottom of the page those many years ago. “Amen! Thank You God!!” is what I say to You again at this very moment.

The Life Recovery Bible comment for Psalm 84:8-12 begins with, “Spending just a little while in the presence of God is better than spending a lifetime apart from Him. The security, peace, and love that God offers are greater than anything we could receive from other people.”

And again I reply, “Amen! Thank You God!!”

Shifting my focus over to the comment for verses 1-4, I clench my teeth in order to quell the tears that want to form. “Beauty is found wherever the all-powerful God resides. Although He is a God who rules with great power, He is also a God who cares for the little things of the world – even sparrows and swallows. True blessing and joy come to us when we choose to live in His presence. As we entrust our life to God and do our best to follow His will for us, we will discover the blessings of living in the presence of our righteous and loving God.”

Beyond descriptive words God, I ask You to work in, with, through and for me this day. Keep doing all You must to make me the woman You created me to be. One created in Your image (Genesis 1:26; 2:18). One who longs to love You with all of her heart, soul, mind and strength; and others as much as myself (Mark 12:30-31).

To this I most humbly [and tearfully] ask, “Make it so Dearest Dad. Make it so.” Thank You for loving us with a love that is truly “indescribably delicious”. Thank You. I love You. Amen.

(452 words ~ 8:22 a.m.)

play

Monday, March 17, 2014 (6:59 a.m.)

Near Cozumel, MX

Holy God,

Thank You. Thank You that we get to be here. Thank You that we like one another. Thank You that You work in us for Your good and Your glory. Work in and through me to that end this day.

We have a twister boat ride we're going to take today. It seems like great fun. Following that is several hours playing in the sun. I'm asking Your protection on us.

Mm, even here I get to smile peacefully as I read a comment concerning Your Word. Turning to Psalm 33:3, I first read the remark [for verses 1-11] at the page bottom.

“Such a powerful God is worthy of our trust. The God who spoke the universe into existence is able to re-create us, and He is filled with tender love for us. He can remove from us the defects that have brought such destruction to us and the people we love. All He asks is that we turn our life over to Him so He can work these changes in us.”

You've been doing that in me. I've recognized Your work! Things I didn't understand before are becoming more valuable to me. There's a patience. A trust. Yes! “Such a powerful God is worthy of our trust.”

YOU spoke the universe into existence. You ARE able to re-create us. Thanks Dad! Thanks for the tender love that You have for each of us. Thanks for all the care You have put into providing for us.

The snippet of Scripture in the concordance read, “Ps 33:3 Sing to Him a new song; play skillfully,”. I very much want to play skillfully as I sing You a new song.

Verse 8 says, “Let everyone in all the world – men, women and children – fear the lord and stand in awe of Him.” Yes. Make that so! As we head off for a day of play, make sure that we are standing in awe of YOU [the One who created all of this in the first place] as we fully esteem and revere You.

Let our play be music to Your ears. Thank You. We love You. Amen.

(376 words ~ 7:44 a.m.)

En route

Sunday, March 16, 2014 (11:14 a.m.)

En route to Cozumel, MX

Most Holy Father God,

We our on our way. En route. And the biggest journey we are taking is the one that leads us to You. Talk with me this morning about being on my way to You.

There's a peace that settles over me when I come and just sit before You. My thoughts expand past what I can control and try to make sense out of. Ideas dart from here to there. The only way to rein them in and settle them down is to take a deep, cleansing breath and close my eyes.

Then, of course, I run the risk of falling asleep. But maybe there's something for You to teach me in the dozing.

What I know at this very moment is that there is a contentment in my being. I am being rocked way more than gently. My stomach and my head are both trying to adjust themselves to the motion. The soft breeze You keep sending my way settles my thinking. A bit of a mist refreshes my spirit.

There are practically gale-force winds taking place on the upper decks. People tossed around. Coffee blown out of cups. And here we sit, swaying with the jostles of the white-capped sea. Quietly alone. Sheltered from the piercing sun. How I ask You to buck me up against the queasiness.

(12:29 p.m.)

Blessed God,

A brief nap. A change of clothes. An order put in for room service. And a message from the captain detailing and cautioning against the strong winds assures me that the unsettledness I'm experiencing is not of my own making.

Still, I close my eyes, breath in deeply, savor the soft currents of air You send our way and smile. Contented. Relaxed. Hopeful. Refreshed. Renewed.

And now You have me laughing out loud. Thank You Daddy God. Thank You for having such a playful Spirit with me. Thank You that I can turn to Isaiah 35:8 to read of “a main road... named The Holy Highway” and be told that “God will walk there with you; even the most stupid cannot miss it.” Thank You!

I read the short chapter. I rejoice in the hope it provides. As we continue on our journey en route to Your grace and holiness I delight in reading of Your provision. The Life Recovery Bible comment for verses 8-10 tells us, “God also provides us with a passage through the desert of our pain and suffering into His presence. And the road is without danger because God is traveling with us. We are not alone as we fight against our addictions and compulsions – God is with us, giving us strength to resist the temptations.”

Going out on a limb here while being more than just a bit facetious, I bet it's also a road without a smidgen of motion sickness! Thank You God.

Thank You for Your goodness. Your grace. And Your Holy Highway. Empower and embolden me every step I take en route to Your glory. I love You. I thank You. And I long to serve You well. Thank You. I love You. Amen.

(539 words ~ 1:01 p.m.)

generosity

Saturday, March 15, 2014 (2:19 p.m.)

Port of Houston, CA

Wonderfully Amazing, Generously Giving God,

You amaze me! Your generosity to us amazes me! I don't even know how to begin to thank You for the gifts You provide us.

At this very moment I am sitting alone on a balcony patio on the back of a cruise ship right outside our cabin. Why? Because years ago Your Word was spoken to me through a book [Total Woman] I chose to believe. Marabel Morgan wrote about the strategies and techniques she used to not only save, but to strengthen her marriage.

My first reading of the book, I looked passed the Biblical references. I didn't want to be bothered with them. I just wanted ideas to improve my relationship. How very young [20] and naive I was!

Thank You for using that book to speak to me in ways that far surpassed any naivete I was experiencing at that time. Forty years later I am still practicing many of the concepts. Most important of all is my reliance on Your Word. And benefitting from Your Wisdom.

I get to sit here. Alone at my own choosing. Because this husband works so hard to give me everything I want. Overhearing him tell a complete stranger, “I am the man I am because of her” brought such a smile to my heart.

This man. This man that You created and gave to me to love delights in giving me things. Often times [take this particular trip for instance] they are things I don't necessarily want, need or ask for. Yet here we are. Enjoying the company of our extended family. The “partners” you gave us all those years ago. Seven adults and three kids. Laughing. Smiling. Genuinely enjoying each other.

Why? Because of Your generosity. Father, You are kind. Generous. Gracious. Giving. Even here. As I sit reflecting on past times I have thanked You for Your generosity I get to quote words of my own from several months ago.

Expressing a thankfulness to You, I read in 1Corinthians 12 about accepting, not rejecting Your gifts to us. “This little paragraph at the bottom of the page (12:4-11) reminds me that 'Whether we have recognized it or not, being in recovery is a unique gift in itself.' It goes on to share that because of our failures, as well as the successes, 'we are uniquely gifted to help others struggling in similar ways. By sharing our story of deliverance with others, we may be giving the gift of life to a person in need.'

“The next section (12:12-26) cautions against taking credit for the perfect gifts You have so generously bestowed upon each of us. It reminds that, 'When we have an accurate view of ourself, we will give God the credit for the gifts He has given us and be thankful for the help He has given us in recovery.'

“Blessed Father God, that is exactly where I am this morning. Absolutely thankful for the work You are doing in my life. Thank You Father. Thank You for Your love. Your glory. Your generosity. Enable and empower me to use them well this day. I love You Father. And I thank You. Amen.”

intact

Saturday, March 15, 2014 (8:17 a.m.)

Houston, TX

Awesome God,

Thank You! You got us here safely. Intact. Yes. “Not damaged or impaired in any way; complete; whole; entire...” The list continues and so does my praise and thanks to You.

We had a dead car battery. A key that wouldn't start its van. There was a mechanical problem on a plane. And a scheduled shuttle bus that was nonexistent. All these things yet this family of ten travelers arrived safely to its interim destination. Intact.

Holy God, thank You. Thank You for giving me this word to consider. And thank You especially for YOUR Word in which to explore it.

1Chronicles 28:8 in The Message says, “And now, in this public place, all Israel looking on and God listening in, as God's people, obey and study every last one of the commandments of your God so that you can make the most of living in this good land and pass it on intact to your children, insuring a good future.”

The Life Recovery Bible comments on this section and has a Serenity Prayer devotion about the chapter. The overall focus is on the importance of following Your plan for each of us. Not only are we to take the time to pass Your wisdom on to others, we must be obedient to Your will.

“Full recovery doesn't stop when our broken parts are repaired. It includes building a new life that's free, full and rich. Fear of failure, humiliation, or disappointment can keep us from seeking life in all its fullness. It takes courage to dream of the life we truly desire.”

My inclination usually runs toward keeping my own self safe. Don't take risks for fear of being disappointed. I ask You Father God to free me from this self imposed imprisonment. Empower me to live the life You would have me live.

King David told his son Solomon, “Every part of this blueprint was given to me in writing from the hand of the Lord. Be strong and courageous and get to work. Don't be frightened by the size of the task, for the Lord my God is with you; He will not forsake you. He will see to it that everything is finished correctly” (1Chronicles 28:19-20).

Reading over into the next chapter, I am reminded that “David's prayer of praise is filled with truths important for recovery.” It points to You as “the source of all true success.” Ascribing to You “all greatness, power, glory, victory, and majesty.”

Talk about being intact! 1Chronicles 29:11-12 describe wholeness. “Yours is the mighty power and glory and victory and majesty. Everything in the heavens and earth is Yours, O Lord, and this is Your kingdom. We adore You as being in control of everything. Riches and honor come from You alone, and You are the Ruler of all mankind; Your hand controls power and might, and it is at You discretion that men are made great and given strength.”

Believing this as Truth, having witnessed Your care in every detail of our journey yesterday, I am asking You Dearest Dad to 'keep right on helping me grow in Your grace until Your task within me is finally finished' (Philippians 1:6).

I love You God. I thank You. I praise You. And I ask You to do in, with, by and through me all that You desire. Thank You. Praise You. Love You. Amen.

(578 words ~ 9:40 a.m.)

wisdom that comes from above

Thursday, March 13, 2014 (6:09 a.m.)

Blessed God,

Thank You! You blessed me big yesterday. An overall feeling of complete unrest sent me to request prayer on my own behalf. A prayer that truly settled my heart and mind as well. Thank You Father. Thank You.

Thank You for friends to call and to rely upon. Thank You for Your love and guidance that sends us outside our own thinking. Hearing the request that I would be safe in Yours hands made me acutely aware of how very much I was in my own head.

My thinking was derailing me. The destructive power my own thoughts were having on me was obvious. And You stopped it all. You provided the courage I needed to take the next positive step toward healthier decision making.

Blessed God, thank You. Thank You for blessing me with friends and family. Thank You for the blessings of honesty and confession. It was only after I said out loud that I may have slipped back into creating chaos to simulate my own sense of balance and well being that I was released from the hold my negative thoughts were having on me.

Thank You Daddy. Thank You for a friend that would call You “Abba, Father” on my behalf.

(7:47 a.m.)

Thank You for the peace in which I feel enveloped at this very moment. Searching Your Word for 'blessings' I came upon James 3:17. Where some translations use the words 'good fruits', 'good deeds', 'good actions' and 'good things', The Message lists 'blessings' in reference to the wisdom that comes from above.

I experienced this wisdom yesterday. In many instances, after having been wrapped in loving prayer, I recognized Your peace. Thank You.

As I peruse The Learning Bible on this verse, I see warnings about forfeiting Your wisdom to that of the world's. I am reminded of the importance of being “Patient, Kind and Prayerful”. Oh most loving and faithful Holy God how I ask that You would make me so.

Reading this section of Scripture reminds me of how dependent I am on Your goodness and Your grace. “Whenever people are jealous or selfish, they cause trouble and do all sorts of cruel things. But the wisdom that comes from above leads us to be pure, friendly, gentle, sensible, kind, helpful, genuine, and sincere” (James 3:16-17).

I want to be these things Dearest Dad. Do all You must to make me so. I love You. I thank You. And I ask You to be in and with every single step and breath I take today. Thank You. I love You. Amen.  

(438 words ~ 8:10 a.m.)

Solid Rock

Wednesday, March 12, 2014 (6:45 a.m.)

Blessed Jesus,

You are here with me. I know it. You just changed my thinking. Negative thoughts plagued me throughout much of last evening, far into the early morning hours. Sleep was at a bare minimum. I tossed. Turned. Wrestled. And condemned myself. Unmercifully.

Waking feeling pretty refreshed, my thoughts went straight to mistakes. Poor planning. Chaos. The word drowning came to mind. And You stepped in to stop the negativity. Thank You.

Thank You, Jesus. I'm confessing a sadness to You right now. An overwhelming, powerful sadness that truly threatens to derail me. There are tears that just want to spew out. A far way from last night's thinking that I would never cry again.

And herein seems the problem. My thinking. How perfect that yesterday's brief stop here with You was titled exactly that, yet I went on to allow emotions to get in the way at almost every turn. That's what is so exciting for me right now.

I feel completely out of control. In over my head. “Drowning” if You will. But You wouldn't. You immediately reminded me that it's ♫On Christ, the Solid Rock, I stand; All other ground is sinking sand♫ With that Truth firmly in place, I came to You for more and was not at all disappointed.

With only bits and pieces of a tune, I knew there was more for me to find from You. Thank You that it didn't take long for me to recognize and remember that Your ♫Love lifted me!♫ And that's not even the best part!

Straight across the page of The Celebration Hymnal is a hymn I don't know. ♫In loving kindness, Jesus came, My soul in mercy to reclaim; And from the depths of sin and shame, Through grace He lifted me. [Thank You for the tears that are now streaming] From sinking sand He lifted me, With tender hand He lifted me; From shades of night to planes of light, O praise His name, He lifted me!♫

Yes Jesus, YOU lifted me! The relating verse is Psalm 40:2. “He lifted me out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock.” A Solid Rock. THE Solid Rock. Jesus, thank You.

I can honestly tell You that I do NOT know what today holds, but I DO know Who holds it! YOU do and You will not let me drown in this mire of my own making. Order the chaos I have created. Bring glory and honor to Your most holy name. Forgive the carelessness with which I have been approaching each new day. I love You. I want that to be most evident in all I am, feel, think and do (Mark 12:30).

Thank You for lifting me. Thank You for loving me. Thank You for being my Solid Rock. Empower and enable me to glorify and enjoy You. Thank You. I love You. Amen.

(490 words ~ 7:43 a.m.)

thinking

Tuesday, March 11, 2014 (7:25 a.m.)

Awesome, Holy God,

Thank You. I was lying in the dark. Thinking. And my thoughts were starting to upset me. Then I remembered an acronym from years ago. Before I say anything I was encouraged to make sure it is: true, honest, inspiring, necessary, kind. 

healing

Monday, March 10, 2014 (7:10 a.m.)

Awesome, Holy God,

(7:30 a.m.)

Healing. Yes. Blessed Father, would You speak to me about healing?

So far this morning I've read about boundaries and hope and deceits. In praying for a dear friend I also have read and printed the following:

Talk to me about what The Word says about hopelessness and trust. I believe you to be in SUCH a perilous place! A place so scary and dark and unsafe that I don't even know where to begin to help. What does The Word say?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This very well may be more for myself than for you... As SOON as I tapped out the words above, I was led to page 742 in my Life Recovery Bible. Along the outer margin I have written in pencil this quote from the movie Patch Adams. “Arthur Mendelson: 'You're focusing on the problem. If you focus on the problem, you can't see the solution. Never focus on the problem! See what no one else sees. See what everyone chooses not to see... out of fear, conformity or laziness. See the whole world anew each day.'”

I have an arrow directing me to a comment for Isaiah 26:3. “When our mind is absorbed with playing back memories of abuse, failure, and shame, we are full of anxiety and turmoil, whether we were the victim of the abuse or the main perpetrator of wrong. But when we learn to work through the past and change our mind-set so that it is fixed on God, we can be flooded with His peace.”

I have the date 3-12-96 penciled in next to the bracketed comments for Isaiah 25:1-5 and the one above. 3-27-96 is written next to brackets I had drawn for Isaiah 25:1 and 26:3. I don't know what was going on with us at that time. But these were truths I desperately needed!

Right under CHAPTER 25 A Day of Rejoicing is “O Lord, I will honor and praise your name, for You are my God; You do such wonderful things! You planned them long ago, and now you have accomplished them, just as you said!”

Just across and a little further under CHAPTER 26 The People Sing to God is “He will keep in perfect peace all those who trust in Him, whose thoughts turn often to the Lord!” (v.3)

Then I had underlined verse 4. “Trust in the Lord God always, for in the Lord Jehovah is your everlasting strength.”

Dear, precious friend how I encourage you NOT to withdraw to protect yourself (see other email!). YOU can do n-o-t-h-i-n-g to better this present circumstance. You CAN'T protect yourself from the pain and hurt and all the other negatives that are threatening to overtake you. You can however take every single thought captive (2Corinthians 10:4-5) and give it back to the Lord.

Ephesians 3:20, “Now glory be to God, who by His mighty power at work within us is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of - infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or hopes.”

Here again is another recovery comment at the bottom of the page. This one is for verses 14-21. “For the church or a small group (think of US as a small group!) to function effectively as a vehicle for recovery, it must be driven by God's dynamic and unlimited love. Paul prayed that his friends might be deeply anchored in and strengthened by God's love. As we begin to discover how much God loves us, we will become confident that anything is possible with God. In fact, God is able to do far more in and through us than we could ever imagine! This is a truth to bank our recovery on! We may feel that our life is in a hopeless state, well beyond the point of recovery. If we trust God to help us, however, we will discover that restoration and healing are never impossible. When we are grounded in God's love, our recovery is assured.”

Precious Friend, I KNOW I am saying too much and seemingly hitting you over your head with my Bible. That is NOT my intent! I LOVE YOU!!!!! I truly don't know what or how to say all that is in my heart to encourage you toward hope. Not hope in what WE think we want but in all God wants for us.

My thinking has changed so much through our years of sharing together. You speaking Truth to me during the toughest times has helped to establish a foothold in The Word that I had never had before. I want desperately to give that back to You. Jesus loves us. He cares. He came to give us life in abundance!

John 10:10, “The thief's purpose is to steal, kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all its fullness.” Please, please, please don't let the thief steal all that Jesus has for you. Whether it's for today, this next minute or whatever time He has allotted you.