just hope

Sunday, September 30, 2018 (6:54 a.m.)

Good morning God,

I don’t feel good. Again. Still. I believe You know what is going on with me. I trust You to make me fully aware of whether to go for medical treatment, or just ride it out here at home.

Holy God, this is a decision I often struggle with. Trusting modern medicine. Risking further exposure. Or burying my head in the sand.

Now there’s an idea. Ignore it all and just hope it goes away on its own. How often is that my plan?

(3:16 p.m.)

And would you just look at that? That is exactly what I did. I went through the motions. Put one foot in front of the other. Hoping all the way.

I started a project. Took a break. Did a little more. And just kept hoping. Thank You Father.

Even as I was thinking about my hope being in You, up came another song: ♪My life is in You, Lord, my strength is in You… With all of my life, and all of my strength All of my hope is in You♪

Yes Father. ♪My life is in You, Lord, my strength is in You, Lord My hope is in You, Lord, in You, it’s in You In You, it’s in You♪

So here I am. Still coughing. Wondering, honestly, what the heck is going on. Be that as it may I am going to just keep hoping. In You! Thank You Father. I love You. Thank You that my hope truly is in You.

Use me as You know is best. I love You. Amen.

(274 words ~ 3:31 p.m.)

taking time

Saturday, September 29, 2018 (7:26 a.m.)

Holy God,

Thank You.

My original plan was to avoid You today. Thank You for showing me the error in my thinking. Thank You for reminding me of the absolute importance of taking time to come before You, even [especially!] when I don’t think I want to.

If I’m being completely honest with You [as I always ought to be] I didn’t think, I KNEW I didn’t want to take time with You today. Coming before You means being honest with the fact that I have fallen back in to old patterns.

Sitting. Eating. Not feeling well. More sitting. More eating. Even more not feeling well.

Instead of examining the lack of healthy food choices, I’d much rather focus on the sore throat. The cough. The all over malaise.

Thank You Father that You would have none of that. Thank You that in looking up the word ‘avoid’ I came to the antonyms. Confront. Face up to. Seek out. Indulge in.

And here I am. Knowing that You would have better for me. You would have me examine my choices.

Because You love me, I get to confess not only the random, mindless and out of control food consumption I have been indulging in, but also the use of the time You have given me. Forgive me Father for the things I have been wasting.

Thank You for the call to “examine ourselves” (1 Corinthians 11:31). Reading The Life Recovery Bible comment for 11:27-30 I am again heartened by the tender care You take of each of us.

Thank You Father for the Truth of Your Word and the importance of taking time to ‘be diligent and turn from our indifference’ (Revelation 3:19). Thank You for the ways Your Truth infuses us.

You NEVER cease to amaze me Father! Just look at THIS comment: (Revelation) “3:14-21 … Sometimes after making progress in recovery we grow indifferent to our new lifestyle. We forget how desperate we were before entering recovery and that God is the one who set us free. We begin to long for things that will lead us back into bondage. We can avoid that long slide backward by taking honest moral inventory and getting back on track.”

Thank You Father! Avoiding You would not have yielded me Your Truth!

And back to the teaching of the apostle Paul (1 Corinthians) “11:27-30 In these verses Paul called the Corinthians to make a searching and fearless moral inventory of their lives. Some of them needed to recognize their pride and take steps to remove it. This is something we all need to do regularly; it must be a way of life for us. Spiritual growth, emotional growth, and recovery depend on our faithfulness in taking our personal inventory. Paul noted here that even physical illness can be the result of not examining our life before taking Communion. When we take the time for a regular moral inventory we will gain victory over the destructive forces in our life.”

Thank You Father. Praise You. Forgive me for falling backward into the random, mindless, out of control behaviors of my past. I love You. I need You. And I ask You to work in, with, by, through and for me as only You can. Thank You Father. I love You. Amen.

(563 words ~ 8:49 a.m.)

fountain of life

Friday, September 28, 2018 (8:46 a.m.)

Holy God,

I love You.

(9:11 a.m.)

Thank You that I get to take such a natural statement back to Your Word. And wonder.

Not in an “Is this true?” type of thinking. No. In a “There is SO much more that I don’t know” kind of way.

Thank You Father. Thank You that in considering my love for You, I get to read so much more about Your love and provision for each of us.

Again, I sit in awe and wonder. Thank You.

Reading in Psalm 36 (vs. 8 and 9) I am amazed by the sheer poetry of the psalmist. Reading up further to the beginning again I am stopped. Verse 5, “Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, Your faithfulness to the skies.”

New Living Translation says, “… beyond the clouds.” Father, it seems every single time I get a hint of understanding, another set of words boggles my mind and my appreciation of You grows all the more.

Thank You Father. I can come to You with a simple enough statement like, “I love You” and have my mind blown by descriptions of how You love us.

“How priceless is Your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of Your wings” (v. 7). Praise You Father.

The more I read of Your provision, the more I want to know. Experience. Share.

Blessed God, I cannot even begin to describe all that is going on within me as I read verse eight, “… You give them drink from Your river of delights [pleasures, pure joy, goodness, delicacies, good things, overflowing kindness].” And this is just the beginning. The tip of the iceberg of all You provide.

“For You are the fountain of life, the light by which we see” (v. 9). Again I am lost in the poetry of Your Truth.

Because we love You we get to come unto You (John 7:37-39). Thank You Father.

Use us exactly as You know is best. Continue teaching and guiding us to Your good and to You glory. We love You. And we long to serve You well.

Thank You. I love You. Amen.

(370 words ~ 10:19 a.m.)

taking courage

Thursday, September 27, 2018 (6:04 a.m.)

Holy God,

(6:36 a.m.)

I don’t seem to be completely here yet. Thank You for waiting for me to show up in full.

This led me to wonder, do You wait for us? There is much written on the subject. Thank You Father. Thank You that the more I wonder, the more there is to wonder about.

Reading a webpage by Barry Raeburn I smiled at his encouraging words about faith. It “grows when we exercise it, it’s like a muscle, the more we use it, the stronger it becomes.”

How I truly thank You Blessed Father. I can so easily get lost in the differing directions my mind goes at any given moment. It’s when I come back to You and Your Word that I experience peace. Hope. Courage.

Mm, yes. Thank You for calling us to exercise our faith muscles. 

I sit here smiling as I read the various renderings for Psalm 27:14. So many different ways of saying the same thing:

Wait on the LORD. Wait for the Lord. Hope in the LORD! Trust the LORD! Stay with GOD! Be entwined as one with the Lord. Look unto Jehovah!

That being only the first section of the verse, we also have the many different names for You. Lord, Jehovah, Adonai, God, Hashem, Yahweh.

Oh thank You Father. Lest I ever get cocky in thinking I know so much, these names alone are enough to put a question mark over my head. Some translations using all capital letters when referring to You in certain circumstances, and others not.

There seems to always be so much more to any given verse than originally meets my eye. Thank You Lord for being here to guide and direct our thinking. Understanding. Hearts. Souls. Minds. And strength.

As I prepare to go out into this day [which YOU have made! (Psalm 118:24a)] I am asking that I will truly “rejoice and be glad in it” (24b). Mm, yes, Father.

12:17 p.m.

Mm, yes! Rejoicing and being glad. As simple as it may seem, there’s a certain amount of courage required to genuinely rejoice and be glad. Being solemn and resentful are much more my norm.

Thank You that Your’s is the much better Way! Waiting patiently for You. Being brave [strong] and taking courage as we “wait for and confidently expect the LORD” (Psalm 27:14, Amplified Bible).

Said quite simply in the Contemporary English Version, “Trust the LORD! Be brave and strong and trust the LORD.”

Or how about this from the Common English Bible? “Hope in the LORD! Be strong! Let your heart take courage! Hope in the LORD!”

Even here my heart very easily gives way to singing. ♪Trust in the LORD with all your heart; And lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your path♪ (Proverbs 3:5,6).

Thank You Father. Taking courage to address You, especially when I seemingly have nothing of importance to say speaks volumes to me. Thank You for being the incredibly good God that You are.

I love You. I long to serve You. Exactly as You wish. Thank You Father. Amen.

(541 words ~ 1:00 p.m.)

live well

Wednesday, September 26, 2018 (6:46 a.m.)

Most Holy God,

Thank You. I’ve been thinking of You. Singing to You. And a cycle has begun.

♪Jesus Paid It All, All to Him I owe; Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow♪ seems to be playing on a loop within my being. I think of the Truth of Your Word.

I search and seek, attempting to find what I believe to be a certain Bible verse. Digging deeper, I come to Peter’s first letter to hurting people. Thank You Father.

The more I read, the more I want to know. As the ♪Jesus Paid It All♪ loop continues echoing within, The Life Recovery Bible offers such hope. Truth.

“THE BOTTOM LINE PURPOSE: To show us how to live well in a shattered and hopeless world.” Oh most Dear and Blessed Jesus, how we thank You for coming to cover the price we could never hope to pay.

Because of Your love, Your obedience, Your sacrifice, we have hope. I read (1 Peter 1:18-20) and here again the singing begins ♪Jesus Paid It All, all to Him I owe…♪

Father, how I thank You for redeeming us “from our old way of life by Christ’s own blood (18,19)” [Illustrated Bible Handbook]. Continue Your work in, with, by, through and for us, teaching us to truly love and live well.

We do love You so much. We are grateful for Who You are and all You do. Use us this day. Exactly as You know is best.

With so very much love I pray this in Jesus’ name. Thank You. I love You. Amen.

(279 words ~ 7:45 a.m.)

unexpected delight

Monday, September 24, 2018 (7:06 a.m.)

Anaheim, CA

Blessed Holy God,

Thank You. Last night I was reminded of a phrase often used in recovery. It has to do with unmet expectations and resentments. Thanks Dad!

Upon further review I found it. “Expectations are premeditated resentments.” Isn’t that a simple truth?

Mm, yes Father. Thank You for the twelvesteplessons.com entry that spells out the differences between “our preprogram self” and “our recovery self”. Thank You that Your Truth is found when we seek it.

Thank You that I can choose to steep my thoughts in bitterness and despair or I can turn (Revelation 3:19) to Your Truth every single time I recognize my will is not matching Yours for me.

Thank You that according to the Westminster Shorter Catechism, our chief purpose in life is to glorify You and enjoy You forever. Thank You that upon further study I am directed right back to Your Word.

Oh most Holy God how I thank You for the way You speak Your Truth to us. Psalm 19:7-11 Easy-to-Read Version, “The LORD’s teachings are perfect. They give strength to His people. The LORD’s rules can be trusted. They help even the foolish become wise. The LORD’s laws are right. They make people happy. The LORD’s commands are good. They show people the right way to live. Learning respect for the LORD is good. It will last forever. The LORD’s judgments are right. They are completely fair. His teachings are worth more than gold. They are sweeter than the best honey dripping from the honeycomb. His teachings warn His servants, and good things come to those who obey them.”

Hallelujah, Father! Bless You. Praise You. Glorify and enjoy You.

Even as I recall my starting thoughts of this morning I’m reminded of my catch-phrase from the beginning of this calendar year. “Surprisingly delighted” was a mindset I just now remembered. Quite the unexpected delight for me.

Dear God, I think of Your blessings. Your kindnesses. Your Truth. Your best. And I smile. Release tension. Change my habit. And praise You. Keep this smile on my heart as well as my face I pray.

As we prepare to go out into the day I ask that we would truly be delighted in the most unexpected ways. And even here I return to Your Word.

Psalm 86:11-13, “Teach me Your way, O LORD, and I will walk in Your Truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear Your name. I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify Your name forever. For great is Your love toward me; You have delivered me from the depths of the grave.”

Oh my God! The very end of this section is another unexpected delight. You HAVE delivered me from the depths of the grave! The grave of bitterness and resentments. Thank You Father. Praise You. Use me as You know is best.

I love You. Thank You. Amen.

(506 words ~ 8:57 a.m.)

loving well

Sunday, September 23, 2018 (7:33 a.m.)

Holy, Holy God,

Oh most Blessed God, I am here asking You to teach us more about loving well (Philippians 1:9). Your Word tells us repeatedly what Your love looks like. What it is, and what it is not (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).

Living in the world we can so easily become hurt. Hardened. Walled off. It’s only when we’re willing to drop our guard and take the risk of exposing our weaknesses that we stand the chance of experiencing Your healing love.

Thank You Father. Thank You for calling us to You. Thank You for teaching us that the world’s representation of love is not Yours.

The Life Recovery Bible (Book Introduction) tells us Paul’s letter to the Philippians was written to thank and challenge them in remaining true to Christ and joyful in their circumstances. “Wholeness of life, he reminded them, does not come from material things or pleasant circumstances. Genuine joy, meaning, and satisfaction come as we follow Christ and help others grow spiritually.”

How contrary this is to what we so often grow up believing. Our experiences can shape us either positively or negatively. It’s our obedience to You and the Truth of Your Word that determine our ultimate joy.

The apostle Paul shared his secret of contentment with his readers. Through his obedience to You he learned to be satisfied with whatever he had (Philippians 4:11). Thank You for his letters Father. Thank You for Your perfect love that casts out all fear (1 John 4:18).

Teach us to love as You would have us love Father. Oh yes, Dear Father. “Not only much, but well” (Philippians 1:9). Oh how we do love you. Thank You. Amen.

(293 words ~ 8:38 a.m.)

Your plans

Saturday, September 22, 2018 (6:14 a.m.)

Most blessed and Holy God,

Good morning. I love You. Where do we go from here?

We have plans. Let me filter our intentions through Your best for us. Where would You have us go? In what time frame?

(6:55 a.m.)

Yes Father, again I am looking to You.

Thank You that Your Word tells us that You know the plans You have for us. Plans for good and not for evil. Plans to give us a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11). Thank You Father.

Reading calendar entries from 25 years ago remind me that Your hand is always on us. And that Truth right there starts the singing in mind and heart ♪… His eye is on the sparrow♪

Thank You Father. Looking up the lyrics, I smile as I agree ♪I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free, For His eye is on the sparrow, And I know He watches me♪

Yes!

Now back to Jeremiah…

“In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me in earnest, you will find me when you seek me” (vs 12-13).

Thank You that You are so good to care for our every single need. I surrender my plans into Your hands. Asking that You would lead us that we would truly follow. Your plans. Your will. Your way.

I love You Blessed God. Use me this day. Exactly as You know is best. Thank You. Amen.

(252 words ~ 7:19 a.m.)

our Center

Friday, September 21, 2018 (8:48 a.m.)

Holy God,

Thank You. Thank You that You are our Center.

(10:24 a.m.)

Mm, yes Father. Thank You!

From the time I started here with You circumstances have taken a turn. My feelings got hurt. I’ve stomped and stormed and silenced myself. Yet here You are. Our Center.

Thank You Father. I get to balance my thoughts and attitude with that which You would have of me.

(3:20 p.m.)

And I’m back. Far more settled than before. Thank You for the idea of You as Center. It helped ease my wrath.

Thinking of You at the center of my being I was able to remember the Truth of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23a). Fully believing that “There is no law against behaving in any of these ways.”

Thank You Father. You kept my voice even. Controlled. Loving. Kind. Respectful. Honest. Open. Willing. And healing conversation ensued.

Hours later, I’m feeling weary. Having worked non-stop and accomplished much, a yet to be fully resolved issue has again reared its head.

Beginning to take another spin on the crazy cycle of miscommunication I turned instead to Your Word. And smiled.

Colossians 3:17, “And whatever you do or say, let it be as a representative of the Lord Jesus, all the while giving thanks through Him to God the Father.” Yes. Thank You Father.

Truly, Your Word never disappoints. Looking to verse 12, “Since God chose you to be the holy people whom He loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.”

As if that isn’t enough, I continue. “You must make allowance for each other’s faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you. So you must forgive others” (v. 13).

But wait! There’s more, “And the most important piece of clothing you must wear is love. Love is what binds us all together in perfect harmony. 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 thankful” (vs. 14-15).

And it just keeps getting better. “Let the words of Christ, in all their richness, live in your hearts and make you wise. Use His words to teach and counsel each other. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts” (16). Praise You Father. Thank You for Your Truth.

Here again, I look to You as our Center. Under Instructions for Christian Households these two verses concerning marriage: “You wives must submit [follow the lead, yield to the authority, be supportive and tenderly devoted, understand and support, adapt] to your husbands, as is fitting for those who belong to the Lord. And you husbands must love your wives and never treat them harshly” (18-19).

It all makes perfect sense. Even seems simple enough. Oh, but it's not easy!

With You as our Center, make us able to live as You would have us live. Continue Your work in teaching us what true love and respect for one another really looks like.

We love You Father. We need You. We trust You. And we ask You. Be here with us. Working for, in, by and through us. Thank You. We love You. Amen.

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

no matter what

Thursday, September 20, 2018 (5:16 a.m.)

Holy God,

It’s a big day around here. Lots of planning. And packing. I’m looking to You for all that is needed Father.

Some of our plans have already changed.

(6:06 a.m.)

And still I continue looking to You. Searching Your Word. Asking Your guidance in where You would lead this morning’s time with You.

Holy God, I love You. First and foremost.

(6:20 a.m.)

You know our hearts. Our minds. How I thank You that You love us, no matter what. I have trouble even beginning to understand what that means. No matter what?

I read of the hope that is found in You. Your glory. Your promises. Your Spirit in us. You are so good. And I continue tripping over my own darting thoughts.

I know the things I think I want. Safety. Comfort. Your presence. Your guidance.

I start reading in one area (Paul’s letters to the Corinthians) and shift over to Psalms and Proverbs. Focus my prayer Father. All the rambling I am doing right now is representative of my somewhat tentative state.

There are great unknowns out there. Mm... no matter what, You are constant. You do not change. Our circumstances, our plans, even our hearts’ desires are not permanent. Thank You that You are. Your love is.

Right now I am reading in Habakkuk. No matter what, You are good. We have doubts. You never change. You are our true source of hope. Thank You Father.

As this day continues to unfold, how I ask You to lead and guide us through it. I look to You for all blessing and keeping (Numbers 6:24). Habakkuk knew You to be faithful.

“The Sovereign LORD is my strength! He will make me as sure-footed as a deer and bring me safely over the mountains” (Habakkuk 3:19). Y-O-U are our strength and safety! No matter what.

Thank You for Your Truth. And Your presence. Thank You for our struggles. And growth. Thank You for plans. And changes. Thank You that You are good. No matter what!

Thank You Father. Thank You. Use us this day exactly as You know is best. I love You. I thank You. Amen.

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

triggers

Wednesday, September 19, 2018 (7:27 a.m.)

Good morning God,

Thank You for the many ways Your Word is triggered in my mind. I start off thinking one thing, a song pops in and off I go in another direction.

Thank You Father. Thank You that You are so good. That was my first thought this morning. Followed almost immediately by the resounding inner singing of ♪Our God is a God who saves… “Let God Arise”… Our God reigns now and forever♪

Praise You Father. A single thought begins [sparks, triggers] the search for Your Truth. Thank You. Praise You. Bless You.

Singing a line from one worship song sung in church on Sunday reminded me to look up the lyrics to another. I remembered writing down key phrases so I could find it. 

♪Worthy… Holy… Show me… We live for You… There is none like You♪ Then the line that sums it up, ♪I will “Build My Life” on Your firm foundation♪.

Thank You Father. One thought can take me in any number of directions. I check notes (Jeremiah 31:33). Turn pages. Read jottings. Breathe deeply. And praise You.

I sit here. Bible open. Triggered over to Philippians (1:3-6), The Sharing of Christian Joy. Reading The Life Recovery Bible RECOVERY THEMES, “We can have joy even during the tough times - because real joy does not come from outward circumstances but from inward strength.” 

Pouring over verses. Reading. Hoping. Scanning. Praying. Asking. Seeking. Knocking. Wondering. Breathing.

Mm, yes Father. Empower me in sharing the joy that is found in You.

(9:37 a.m.)

Then BAM! A completely unexpected trigger of events.

Previously unopened envelopes. A mistaken assumption. An overdue bill. Panicked thinking. Frantic phone calls. Tense body. Swimming thoughts.

And then? Calm. Why? I remembered. I am a BE-ing, not a DO-ing. Thank You Jesus.

I am called to BE: loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle and self-controlled.

Yes! Said this way in the Contemporary English Version, “God’s Spirit makes us loving, happy, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled. There is no law against behaving in any of these ways. And because we belong to Christ Jesus, we have killed our selfish feelings and desires” (Galatians 5:22-24). Your Spirit makes us these things.

Your Word, Your Truth, Your promises trigger joy. I look. I read. I think. I hope. Thank You. Praise You. Bless us. Keep us. Use us. Exactly as You wish.

We love You. We thank You. We trust You. We need You. Thank You, we pray. Amen.

(400 words ~ 10: 11 a.m.)

.

plans and purposes

Tuesday, September 18, 2018 (3:53 a.m.)

Most Dear and Blessed, Holy God,

We love You. We trust You. We turn to You with the desires of our hearts.

There’s a cross country road trip in the offing. With unexpected repairs to the intended vehicle. Father God, I bring You my concerns. Asking, seeking, knocking (Matthew 7:7) at Your door of travel mercies.

(7:35 a.m.)

Then I looked up traveling mercies and hedges of protection; became confused, took cold medicine and went back to sleep.

Father, thank You. I get to read of the importance of aligning our prayers with YOUR plans and purposes. I confess to often forgetting, “Thy will be done.”

Thank You that You are ever mindful of us (Psalm 8:4). Thank You that we get to turn to Your Word and be reminded of Your goodness and grace. Your provisions. Your plans and purposes. Thanks Dad.

There are so many variables taking place in the lives of our family. My mommy heart feels the deep pangs of fear involved with big change. How grateful I am to have ready access to the hope and Truth of Your Word.

Thank You for the peace that comes when I cycle my fearful thinking back to faith and hope and trust in You. Thank You that we get to come to You exactly as we are. Scared. Needy. Desiring.

Thank You that You do not disappoint. Your Word reminds us that “We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps” (Proverbs 16:9). Yes Father!

We get to continue praying. Asking You to give ‘a complete understanding of what You want to do in our lives’ (Colossians 1:9). “Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and you will continually do good, kind things for others. All the while you will learn to know God better and better” (v. 10). Yes, Father. Oh yes!

This morning I come praying Your Word back to You on behalf of our much loved ones. James 4:13-17, “Warning about Self-Confidence Look here, you people who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.’ How do you know what will happen tomorrow? For your life is like the morning fog - it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, ‘If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this and that.’ Otherwise you will be boasting about Your own plans, and all such boasting is evil. Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.”

(10:05 a.m.)

Father, we have laughter and smiles, joy and hopefulness taking place right now. Thank You!

We continue looking to You. Asking, seeking, knocking at Your door of blessings and wisdom; according to Your will and Your priorities. Your plans and purposes.

Yes Father! YOUR plans and purposes.

How I pray Your best. Determine our steps, Oh Lord. We love You. And thank You. Amen.

(523 words ~ 10:21 a.m.)

blest and kept

Monday, September 17, 2018 (8:03 a.m.)

Holy God,

Thank You for Your love. Thank You for Your presence. Thank You for Your guidance.

We come before You seeking Your blessing and protection (Numbers 6:24). Your keeping. Watching over. Taking care. Guarding.

Mm, this seemingly simple priestly blessing is rife with hope and deeper meaning. Truly Father, You covered all our bases in these three verses (24-26).

The Life Recovery Bible comment says, “6:24-26 The simple words of this blessing reflect God’s desire for all His people. He is the source of all blessings, grace, and peace in life; only through a relationship with God can we hope to experience the fullness of life described here. The blessing seems to build to its final word - peace (shalom). The Hebrew word for peace means much more than an absent of conflict. It implies a complete sense of well-being, health, and contentment. God offers this to anyone who is willing to follow Him and especially to those whose lives have been bruised and broken.”

Oh yes, Father. Yes. Yes. Yes.

It’s so often that we take simple words for granted. We don’t always look any deeper than mere face value. This morning the idea of You smiling on us and being gracious to us (v. 25) amazes me. My heart practically explodes in anticipation of living this day as Your beloved daughter. Thank You Daddy!

The thought of having You look with favor on us and give us peace (26) digs in more deeply every time I hear or read it. And then of course there are the various ways of saying it all.

Contemporary English Version, “May the LORD be good to you…” Easy-to-Read Version, “May the LORD answer your prayers…”

You do! You smile down on us and show us Your kindness (25). Truly, we would be lost without You.

How I ask Your blessing on us this day Precious Father. Changes are coming. Seasonal as well as personal. Be with us through every single aspect of all the things that are about to be different.

We love You. We put all of our hope and trust in Your generous, incorruptible hands. Thank You for choosing us as Your children (John 15:16).

We love You. We thank You. And we long to serve You as You desire to be served. Thank You for blessing and keeping us. Amen.

(407 words ~ 9:28 a.m.)

settled in

Sunday, September 16, 2018 (6:51 a.m.)

Thank You God,

I had the chance to say that to You yesterday. I picked extra rest. I had the same chance several hours ago. I chose to play crosswords. This time, I choose You. Thank You.

Yes God. Thank You. 

I recognized when I was feeling unsettled. I instantly realized I had knowingly skipped time with You.

Thank You that as soon as I identified the problem, I settled in. Relaxed. Took comfort in knowing that You are constant. Thank You Father.

Thank You that in looking up the meaning of ‘settled’, I again breathed in deeply and smiled. Mm, yes. Thank You.

“Resolved. Cleared up. Ended. Fixed. Worked, ironed, straightened out. Set right. Rectified. Remedied. Reconciled. Put in order. Sorted out. Tidied up. Arranged. Organized. Ordered. Calmed, quieted down. Soothed. Pacified. Be stilled…”

The list continues almost ad infinitum. Which, in itself helps me smile again. “Forever, always, endlessly, unceasingly, evermore…” These meanings drive my thoughts straight over to You.

You calm us. Unendingly. Thank You Father. Your Word is Truth. Your promises powerful. Thank You that in remembering Your call for us to “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10a) we truly get to settle in.

The Message uses this description. “Step out of the traffic! Take a long, loving look at me, your High God, above politics, above everything.”

I did. And You settled me. Thank You Father. Use me well this day. Thank You. I love You. Amen.

(255 words ~ 7:58 a.m.)

"ohsome"

Friday, September 14, 2018 (5:35 a.m.)

Holy God,

Thank You. Again!

Yes Father. Thank You for the ability of saying, “Thank You” to You and meaning it.

You are so incredibly good to us. You provide our needs. Change our thinking. Work in our hearts and our souls. Allow us to grow. And learn. Make mistakes. Offer and experience forgiveness. Thank You Father.

Thank You that You are generous with Your love. With Your resources. With

(6:44 a.m.)

And right there I did some checking and went right back to sleep. Thank You Father that I was able to verify You as the generous God You are.

Thank You also for the newish word You provided me truly half way through the night. Waking just after midnight I came out here to see if I could find any listing for “ohsome” and I did!

One definition in Urban Dictionary says, “like awesome; uses the exclamation ‘oh!’ and the word ‘awesome’ in combination in order to communicate that whatever the person is talking about is shockingly awesome and encourages a witness of whatever the person is talking about to say ‘oh!’” That’s pretty much what I was thinking.

YOU are shockingly awesome! And I would love to encourage all who hear me speak of You to resoundingly say, “OH!”

Yes Father, You are ohsomely generous. Reading in Ephesians (1:6-8) I marvel at Your generosity. “So we praise God for the wonderful kindness He has poured out on us because we belong to His dearly loved Son. He is so rich in kindness that He purchased our freedom through the blood of His Son, and our sins are forgiven. He has showered His kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.”

Citing a section from Our Daily Bread [June 9, 2014] under the title 'Generous God' again I see You as ohsome. “At times we think God hasn’t provided for us as we would like. But if He never did anything more than forgive our sins and guarantee heaven for us, He has already been abundantly generous! So today, let’s rejoice in our generous God.”

Oh! Yes!

Continuing the quote excites my being as I wholeheartedly agree. “Lord, remind me often that You have been exceedingly generous to me. Help me to extend that generosity of spirit toward those around me, so that they may know who You are and rejoice in You.”

Yes. Yes, Oh, yes!

Thank You for Your generosity. Thank You for Your ohsomeness. We love You. Use us well we pray. Thank You Father. Amen.

(434 words ~ 8:11 a.m.)

standing on the Truth

Thursday, September 13, 2018 (6:50 a.m.)

Blessed, Holy God,

Thank You. Thank You that You are good. You are holy. You never change. Thank You that we can count on You. Stand on Your Word.

Talk with me this morning about this important practice. Standing on the Word of God.

And You do. Before I even ask, I am directed to read in Ephesians of The Whole Armor of God. Illustrated Bible Handbook titles it “Chapter 6:10-20. A Strong People”.

I feel strengthened as I remember Your call to “Be strong with the Lord’s mighty power” (v. 10). Being reminded that we are not in a battle with flesh and blood, “but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world” (v. 12b).

Oh most Holy God, You provide us such hope. Your Word tells us again and again that we are to turn to You. In doing so we are reminded to do this, don’t do that. And it all makes so much sense. When I’m here with You.

It’s taking Your Word, Your warnings, Your promises with me into the day that sometimes gets tangled. Even here, as I consider the mistakes I so often make, I am directed to Ephesians 4:3. “Always keep yourselves united in the Holy Spirit, and bind yourselves together with peace.”

Mm. Truth. So much Truth is found when searching and depending on Your Word. Thank You Father. Thank You Jesus. Thank You Holy Spirit.

There is so very much going on in the world today. Potential disaster at most every turn. How I pray Blessed Father that You would truly guide and direct Your people to obedience to Your Word.

I fall so short. I don’t love or forgive as Your Word commands. I have constructed more than a few hurdles and deterrents through the years. Here again, I turn to You. Knowing, believing, trusting that You are far stronger 

(12:30 p.m.)

And then the phone rang. People came over. Eye glasses have been misplaced. Now, back to You. And Your armor.

Not seeing well is currently my focus [no pun intended]. I’m asking, seeking, knocking (Matthew 7:7) Your help in this process. There are so many things out of place, I truly don’t know where to find them. Again, I leave this at Your feet.

(1:57 p.m.)

The absolute, most perfect spot!

Many minutes after making that statement, more people and VICTORY! Glasses found. Thank You God. Seemingly such a minor event, yet enough to make one wonder. Even doubt my own mental state.

Plenty of variables in the morning to truly throw me out of my comfort zone. And still I smile after having shown so much of my inner workings to others. Thank You Father.

Thank You for taking me from standing on Your Truth, to the importance of putting on Your whole armor and then sharing my shortcomings so openly. Thank You Father.

Use me as You know is best. Thank You. I love You. Amen.

(509 words ~ 2:33 p.m.)

transitional

Wednesday, September 12, 2018 (6:18 a.m.)

Holy God,

Thank You. 

(6:44 a.m.)

I’ve been reading in Your Word about change. It’s coming. Seasonal. Transitional. And our house looks like a warehouse in the process.

Thank You Father. We’ve been through this before. Change. Different. In flux. And as I look at You in the interim I am blessed to know that through it all You remain constant. You do not change (Psalm 102:27; Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17…). Thank You Father. Thank You Jesus. Thank You Holy Spirit.

I get to read Your Word. Breathe deeply. Settle in. Hope. Trust. Rejoice. And know… that You are good (Psalm 46:10).

Of Psalm 46, Illustrated Bible Handbook says, “God is His people’s mighty fortress!” And The Life Recovery Bible? “46:7-11 God, the commander of the heavenly armies, is here among us. If we put our life in His hands, we can rest, confident that He will protect us. He knows our weaknesses and can strengthen us in the needed areas, helping us to overcome the attacks we face each day. Our enemies may be strong, but God is far more powerful than anything that might assail us.”

Yes. We get to ask, seek, knock (Matthew 7:7). Expecting You to guide and direct us through each and every season of our lives. Thank You Father. Thank You Jesus. Thank You Holy Spirit.

Work in, with, by, through and for us this day as we approach this current change. Thank You. We love You. Amen.

(261 words ~ 7:45 a.m.)

presence and guidance

Patriot Day, Tuesday, September 11, 2018 (6:44 a.m.)

Blessed Holy God,

We love You. And we’re thankful. You are good. You are holy. And today I feel more than a twinge of sadness.

It started last night. I was keenly aware of the ache in my heart. Again, and again, and again we turn to You. Thank You Father. Thank You that You never leave us alone.

My first thinking this morning was that of the Pledge of Allegiance. With tears in my eyes I wonder, are we truly “one nation under God”? Indivisible? With liberty and justice for all? There are so many who beg to differ.

Father, You are our God. My next thought was in singing ♪God Bless America, land that I love Stand beside her And guide her♪ Oh yes most Blessed God, we are in such need of Your presence and guidance.

Thank You. Thank You that when our hearts are full, of hope or sadness, we get to come to You. Asking, seeking, knocking (Matthew 7:7). I am here with a nation of others. Remembering. And ultimately rejoicing. You will show me how. I have no doubt.

Thank You Father. Teach us. Use us. Guide and protect us. We love You. We need You. We thank You. We ask Your presence and Your guidance. Thank You. Amen.

(223 words ~. 7:33 a.m.)

l-o-v-e

Monday, September 10, 2018 (8:07 a.m.)

Holy God,

Thank You. You are good. And we are blessed. Thank You.

Thank You that it is because of You, Your love and Your Word that we are more than noisy gongs (1 Corinthians 13:1).

The words came to me yesterday while thinking of the good works that are often done. Sometimes in Your name. Many, for the good of community. All potentially lost in translation if not done in love. Your love. Your love as described by the apostle Paul to the believers living in Corinth.

Father, we love You. We come back again and again, eager to learn more of how You would have us love. You, one another and ourselves (Mark 12:30-31).

Here’s this from Illustrated Bible Handbook in 1 Corinthians. Love spelled out. “Chapter 13. Love This brief chapter presents the priority of love in understanding spirituality. No gifts benefit the users if they are not motivated by love (1-3). Love is not shown in the use of a gift, but in the patience, kindness, selflessness, and forgiveness which infuse a person’s character (4-7). Spiritual maturity is revealed by love, and maturity comes through loving. This, rather than the childish approach of the Corinthians and their focus on gifts, is the ‘more excellent way’ (12:31) to gauge and to grow in true spirituality.”

Yes! You are good. You teach us. And we are truly blessed by Your teachings: in patience, kindness, selflessness and forgiveness. Oh yes most Dear and Blessed Father, continue Your work of infusing our characters with that which You know is paramount to our beings. Your love. Spelled out.

Oh! Just when I thought I was done. This from The Life Recovery Bible “13:1-3 Paul was writing to a group of believers who had started to forget what real love is. He showed them that all their abilities, talents, and spiritual gifts amounted to nothing if they didn’t love each other. Without selfless love, we have nothing. Loving relationships are also essential to the recovery process.”

Oh, yes. Yes. Yes, Dear God! Keep working Your love in, with, by, through and for us. Without it, all our efforts only make noise. They become as: “a noisy gong, blaring brass, clanging cymbal, [just an annoying distraction], the creaking of a rusty gate, the sound of a big horn or a loud bell.”

Thank You Father. Thank You. Thank You. Thank You. Use us this day. Exactly as You know is best. Filled and steeped in Your love. Thank You Father. We love You. Amen.

(440 words ~ 9:28 a.m.)

Good Works

Sunday, September 9, 2018 (6:56 a.m.)

Blessed God,

Good morning.

(7:13 a.m.)

Speak with me I pray. I have a problem with balance. And understanding. Starting in James (2:14-26) I read of Faith and Life, then turn over to “Good Works” in Titus.

Father God, I confess to having an all or nothing attitude about many things. I have been known to do far too much or way too little at any given time. I do not see myself as generous. Nor obedient to Your call of doing what is good. Here again I admit to not truly knowing what good really is.

singing for joy

Saturday, September 8, 2018 (6:31 a.m.)

Blessed God,

We love You. We thank You. We praise You. We turn to You. Saying again, “Thank You!”

And would we just look at this… Psalm 92:1-4, “It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to the Most High. It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning, your faithfulness in the evening, accompanied by the harp and lute and the harmony of the lyre. You thrill me, LORD, with all You have done for me! I sing for joy because of what You have done.”

I do Lord! I truly sing for joy because of what You have done.

Thank You Father. Thank You for changing our hearts. Thank You for giving us ears to hear each others hurts.

You provided us every tool we needed to clear the air, as well as the skill to use those tools. Praise You Father. Bless [an exclamation of gratitude and admiration] You. Oh yes, we are grateful to and genuinely admire all You are and do on our behalves.

This from The Life Recovery Bible, “92:1-4 It is a necessary part of recovery to praise God for all He has done for us, to proclaim His unfailing love and His faithfulness to us. He brings us abiding joy. As we experience His faithfulness in our life, praise and thanks should be our natural responses. Our praise will serve as a declaration to others of God’s power to deliver us from the bondage of addiction.”

Yes God! You broke us out of our bondage of hard hearts and curt words. Thank You Father. Praise You. Use us this day exactly as You know is best. Loving You and others as ourselves (Mark 12:30-31).

Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(306 words ~ 7:26 a.m.)

♪ God Is So Good ♪

Friday, September 7, 2018 (7:22 a.m.)

Holy God,

Thank You. You are so good.

And right there I start singing ♪God Is So Good♪ Mm, yes! You are so good! Thank You Father.

(9:19 a.m.)

Mm, yes. Thank You.

I get to be with You. Whether I am sitting here. Or walking around, taking care of business outside.

When I start with thanks and praise, one door of thought and Truth opens directly to another. In this particular case, one hymn of Your “Guidance and Care” giving way to a favored worship song [♪Forever♪].

♪Give thanks to the Lord, Our God and King His love endures forever For He is good, He is above all things His love endures forever Sing praise, sing praise…♪

With each of these musical Truths singing powerfully within, I turn to Your Word and the verses associated with them. Thank You Father for the strength that comes from just sitting with You and saying, “Thank You.”

You ARE so good! And Your love does endure forever. Thank You. Praise You.

Reading again David’s Song of Praise (1 Chronicles 16:7-36) I breathe deeply. Knowingly. Believingly. Trustingly.

Father, I know You to be good. I believe You to be good. I trust You to be good. And right there, another Bible Truth comes to mind. Romans 8:28. Followed almost immediately by Jeremiah 29:11. Then, just as fast, verses 12-14.

Oh most Holy God, thank You. Praise You! Lamentations 3:23. Psalms 100:5; 107:1 and 136. Oh, Your Truth just keeps coming! Thank You Father.

Be with us this day. In, with, by, through and for us. We are going out for an adventure. Bless us. Keep us. Smile on and be gracious to us, showing us Your favor and giving Your peace (Numbers 6:24-26). Thank You Father. Praise You. We love You. Amen.

(317 words ~ 9:48 a.m.)

Standing...

Thursday, September 6, 2018 (6:31 a.m.)

Blessed, Holy God,

Here again I turn to You. Loving You. Wanting You. The Bee-Gee’s song ♪Tragedy♪ just started singing to me, but the lyrics don’t fit. Instead I turn to the hymn I found yesterday in the most roundabout way.

Having sung ♪Standing in the Need of Prayer♪ for much of the morning I looked for it in The Celebration Hymnal. In its place I found ♪Standing on the Promises♪. How appropriate.

Most Holy God, I DO stand on Your promises! And I want others to as well. Looking up the referenced Scripture (2 Peter 1:4) I read on to the end of the letter. And my prayer reverts back to yesterday’s early morning cry, “Please. Please. Please.”

Blessed, Holy God, we live in this fallen world with all its traps and deceptions. You are such a good and patient Father.

Reading more about Peter’s second letter, I am referred over to Jude. Here I read, “Jude urged his readers to stand up for the truth and not fall back into their old way of life.” And just like that comes another hymn. ♪Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus♪

Oh most blessed, loving God how I ask You to continue Your holy work in, with, by, through and for me. My heart is a puddle of care for others. Empower and embolden me to truly live Your Word.

Here I turn to the verse associated with ♪Stand Up♪ (1 Corinthians 16:13) and read on to the next (14). “Be on guard. Stand true to what you believe. Be courageous. Be strong. And everything you do must be done with love.”

Holy, Holy God and Father, how I pray your blessings and keepings on us. The Life Recovery Bible comment for this section (16:5-18) sums me up so well. “Throughout this letter Paul encouraged the Corinthians in their recovery and spiritual growth. In closing Paul revealed his love and trust in them by making personal requests. There is always a balance between caring for the hurts and needs of others and being able to ask for what we need as well. Healthy relationships are characterized by this kind of balanced give-and-take.”

I have been asking You to empower me in the tools You provide for healthy relationships. Continue Your work in equipping me to use them well. Standing firm. Standing in need. Standing on Your promises.

Oh how I love You Blessed Father. Trust You. Need You. Ask You. Do all You must for Your good and Your glory. Thank You. I love You. Amen.

(440 words ~ 7:58 a.m.)

Please. Please. Please.

Wednesday, September 5, 2018 (7:22 a.m.)

Blessed, Holy God,

Thank You. Thank You. Thank You.

The prayer started this morning at 4:35 as “Please. Please. Please”. We have a much loved one in desperate need of Your presence. Your guidance. Your will. Your way. It was the only thing I could think to pray. “Please. Please. Please.”

Please bless and keep, smile and be gracious, show Your favor and give Your peace (Numbers 6:24-26). We are asking Your safety and security, Your fairness and righteousness on this gift of Yours. We love You

looking, knowing, believing, trusting, asking

Tuesday, September 4, 2018 (7:09 a.m.)

Holy God,

We, as a family, look to You. Knowing You are good. Believing Your Word. Trusting Your will and Your way. Asking that we would walk in it.

blessing and building up

Labor Day Monday, September 3, 2018 (7:07 a.m.)

Blessed, Holy God,

Help us please. We are in desperate need of Your healthy communication skills. Oh yes. Help us please.

Thank You Father that we get to turn to You. And Your Word. Yes! You have provided us Your Truth and guidance in all instances. Thank You. Praise You!

Reading “GOD’S Rx FOR HEALTHY COMMUNICATION”, a sermon from 1995 by Pastor Steven J. Cole, I find myself hopeful once again. He references 1 Peter 3:8-12. And calls us to bless each other and build one another up.

Thank You God for Your Truth. Your will. Your way. I long to live as You would have us live: ‘sharing hurts and finding sympathy, expressing needs and receiving loving care, forgiving one another rather than plotting revenge, praying for each other, being careful not to say things that will unnecessarily hurt others, being honest about who we are, seeking to do good for one another, trying to live in peace by resolving conflicts with each other’ (The Life Recovery Bible 3:8-11).

Yes Lord! This same sermon cites so many other important verses. The Truth of Ephesians 4:31-32 stands out, followed paragraphs later by verse 29.

“If we would apply this (Ephesians 4:29’s exhortation) in our homes - not trading insults, not deceiving, not clamming up, but speaking words that build up the other person - we would put family counselors out of business. Think about your speech in your family this past week. How much of it was sarcastic, critical, angry, accusatory? And how much was aimed at blessing and building up your family members?”

Please Lord. We are in desperate need of Your healthy communication skills. Empower us in our ability of blessing and building up. We love You. We need You. We thank You. Help us please I pray. Amen.

(317 words ~ 8:25 a.m.)

forgive to be forgiven

Sunday, September 2, 2018 (7:50 a.m.)

Awesome, Holy God,

I am behaving badly. Withdrawn. Unwilling. Terse. Polite. Courteous. Civil. Loving? Not so much.

I have some bones to pick. Issues that remain unresolved. I want to be heard. Taken seriously. I continue holding fast and strong to my own hurt feelings.

I want to ask You to forgive me, but I know I must forgive to be forgiven (Matthew 6:15). And I’m not there yet.

(8:39 a.m.)

Thank You Father. I said it out loud. I admitted to being a brat. And immediately my heart softened. Thank You Father.

Thank You. I don’t have to behave badly. I get to choose. Your Word reminds us that we get to choose between life and death (Deuteronomy 30:19-20). Thank You that by choosing to forgive we truly are set free to Your love.

As I continue scouring Your Word I again find the hope and joy that only comes from following Your Truth. Thank You Father.

A comment in The Life Recovery Bible has this to say in Matthew “6:12, 14-15 True forgiveness is an essential part of any recovery program. We often have difficulty getting past our anger and bitterness toward those who have mistreated or abused us. However, asking God’s forgiveness for our personal shortcomings and sins is hypocritical unless we are willing to forgive others. We forfeit forgiveness from God by denying forgiveness to others, to the detriment of our recovery program. This is not only selfish but also self-destructive.”

Oh, Your Truth! You provide us all we need to obey Your Truth.

Continue Your work in me Blessed God. I lean so often toward selfishness and self-destruction. It is only in and through You that I have any hope of practicing forgiveness.

I love You Father. As I work toward forgiving, thank You that You are faithful to forgive me. Thank You Father. Amen.

(327 words ~ 9:28 a.m.)