"You're blessed when..."

 Friday, June 21, 2024 (6:31 a.m.)

Blessed, Holy, Loving Father God,

Thank You for Your goodness. And Your grace. Your glorious greatness (Psalm 145:5-8). Your kindness. Love. Joy. Peace. Patience (Galatians 5:22).

Thank You Father for sending Jesus to teach the world how You would have us live. Matthew 5:1-12. “You’re blessed when…”

Your ways are so much better than ours. The apostle Paul taught the importance of loving as You would have us love. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 spells out so plainly what love is and what it is not.

Continue working in us, Father, that we would come to love as You would have. You. Others. Ourselves. Wholly. Fully. Completely. With ALL of our hearts, souls, minds and strength (Mark 12:30-31). Forgiving completely as well (Matthew 18:23-35).

Mm. Yes Jesus. Keep teaching us to live each day we have in You. With You. By You. Through You. For You.

We love, need, trust and want You. Do all You must that we will truly “rejoice and be glad” (Psalm 118:24b) in this day which You have made (24a).

Use us as only You know is best. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(191 words ~ 7:04 a.m.)

YOURS!

 Thursday, June 20, 2024 (6:53 a.m.)

♪Have Thine Own Way Lord…♪

Yes! ♪Have Thine own way Thou art the Potter We are the clay mold us and make us after Thy will While we are waiting, yielded and still♪

You are doing such amazing things in, with, by, through and for us. Teaching us so very much about accepting that which we cannot change and having the courage to change that which we can. Father Gd, we do ask (Matthew 7:7) to be given the wisdom to know the difference between the two.

Reading the lyrics to this great hymn, I smile and hope at ♪Touch me and heal me, Savior divine!♪ Thank You God that You do have that power.

Verse four begins and ends with another request from each of us. ♪… Hold o’er my being absolute sway! Fill with Thy Spirit till all shall see Christ only, always living in me!♪

(2:23 p.m.)

How blessed we truly are Dear Lord! I started praying, “Father God, Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit” the other day. Not knowing what else to say in a moment of fear. “Father God, Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit.” Thank You for being present. Thank You for calming shaky nerves. Thank You for being the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6).

You are a Good, Good Father. ♪It’s who You are… And we are loved by You It’s who we are…♪

Thank You Blessed God. Continue Your work in each of us. Molding, making, fining and refining us into exactly who You would have us be. Yours!

Thank You. Praise You. Use us. Amen.

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

unaware

 Wednesday, June 19, 2024 (6:27 a.m.)

Blessed God,

Thank You. You’ve blessed us in ways that we are yet unaware.

practice makes better

 Tuesday, June 18, 2024 (6:03 a.m.)

Blessed God,

You gave us many opportunities to practice yesterday. Kindness. Communication. Speaking truth in love. Medicine without a license. Joy.

Thank You Lord. We get to keep learning. Far more than we ever expected.

Thank You that through it all, You are still good. Great. Glorious. Gracious (Psalm 145:5-8). 

Be with each of us this day. The one You have made (Psalm 118:24a). Let us truly rejoice and be glad in it (v. 24b). Mm. Yes. Rejoice. Be glad. YES!

We love You Lord. Use us as You alone know is best. Loving You, others and ourselves with all our hearts, souls, minds and strength (Mark 12:30-31). Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(122 words ~ 6:28 a.m.)

speaking truth in love

 Monday, June 17, 2024 (6:45 a.m.)

Holy God,

There’s tension in our household. Help me please!

(7:32 a.m.)

Thank You Father. Thank You for the power of Your Word. “Speak truth in love.” Mm, yes. Lord God, I ask (Matthew 7:7) that Your Truth will ring loudly in and through our hearts, souls, minds and strengths (Mark 12:30-31) around here today.

Be the very core of our existence. “No prolonged infancies among us, please. We’ll not tolerate babes in the woods, small children who are easy prey for predators. God wants us to grow up, to know the whole truth and tell it in love - like Christ in everything. We take our lead from Christ, who is the source of everything we do. He keeps us in step with each other. His very breath and blood flow through us, nourishing us so that we will grow up healthy in God, robust in love” (Ephesians 4:14-16 The Message).

Lord God, You are so good, gracious, glorious, great (Psalm 145:5-8) and we are created in Your image (Genesis 1:27). Do all You must in, with, by, through and for us that we will represent You well this day.

We love, need, trust and want You as absolute Lord of our lives. Thank You for who and all You are. Use us. Praise You. Amen.

(231 words ~ 8:30 a.m.)

no expectations

 Sunday, June 16, 2024 (6:37 a.m.)

Most Dear and Blessed, Loving Father God,

THANK YOU! You gave us SUCH a very GLAD day yesterday. From start to finish. Having reminded me of the importance to “accept, not expect” we were aware of and thankful for the various blessings You sent our way.

Thank You for the songs that have come to me already this morning. ♪I Had a GLAD Day♪, ♪SomeOne To Watch Over Me♪, ♪Good Morning to You♪ and ♪This Is the Day♪

(3:09 p.m.)

And here I have some extra time to continue thanking You for such perfect practice yesterday in taking things as they came. Being blessed again and again as the day played out. Thank You Father (YES! on Father’s Day, thank you Father!) for Your faithfulness.

Use us exactly as You know is best. We love, need, trust and want You. Thank You. Amen.

(150 words ~ 3:12 p.m.)

musical effects

 Saturday, June 15, 2024 (5:41 a.m.)

Blessed God,

♪… and that’s the last I’ve seen of my heart♪

Thank You Lord for the effects music has on me. Calming. Soothing. Empowering.

"Rejoice. Be glad!"

 Friday, June 14, 2024  (3:08 p.m.)

DaVita Colton Ranch - transport chair

This has been a day Dear Lord.

Well ~ it Is the one You have made. Let me rejoice and be glad in it (Psalm 118:24). Yes! Rejoice. Be glad.

I confess to taking up precious brain space by replaying annoyances. Smiling, I remember I’d much rather rejoice.

We’re tired Lord. And You’re still good. Great. Glorious. Gracious (Psalm 145:5-8). Thank You for reminding me to turn to You. ♪Look full in Your wonderful face And the things of earth will grow strangely dim In light of His glory and grace♪

Yes.

 Friday, June 14, 2024 (4:44 a.m.)

Good morning Blessed Lord,

Yes. Good very early morning!

I have plans for the day. Plans that will take me away from our relative “new normal” to a place of near normalcy. I ask (Matthew7:7) You to take the Lead here Lord.

Thank You for the smiles and the songs with which I have been waking lately. They all represent to me the nearness we have with You.

Thank You for this opportunity to sit in the quiet of the very early morning. Listening to birds in the nearby yards. Watching the music video to Daniel Powter’s ♪Bad Day♪

Taking this extra time to boil water for a morning cup of ginger tea. Followed immediately by the eating of another potato. Thank You for teaching me new ways of taking good care of myself.

(5:37 a.m.)

Mm. Yes. You. Potatoes. Ginger tea. And a truly grateful heart. What a great way to start a new day. Thank You God. Yes. Really. Truly. Thank You.

Lead and guide me this day Dear Lord. Allow me to hear and see and think and do the things You have for me. Yes. Keep me out of Your way. Following as You lead.

I love You. I need You. I trust You. And I want You as absolute Lord of my life. Use me exactly as You know is best. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

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

songs

 Thursday, June 13, 2024 (6:25 a.m.)

Blessed God,

Thank You for songs. Yes Lord. Songs that sing to me of Your Truth. The hope we have in You. Your love. Your faithfulness

Songs that bring smiles to my face. And to my heart.

You are so good. Great. Glorious. Gracious (Psalm 145:5-8). We are grateful that You are.

Thank You for providing us with people who love us. People who care. Are kind. Helpful. Generous.

Lord, You keep showing us evidences of Your Truth and love. Like just now by singing ♪FOREVER God is faithful Forever God is strong Forever God is with us Forever Forever♪

(7:05 a.m.)

Looking up Chris Tomlin’s lyrics with this title, I find many artists have their own offerings with this same name. In his search for “peace and love with harmony” the Beach Boys’ Dennis Wilson created his own version.

LIFE!

 Wednesday, June 12, 2024 (4:40 p.m.)

DaVita Colton Ranch - transport chair

Father God,

I love You. We keep getting challenged. And You keep providing resources. Thank You that we are not alone in this. While the thief comes to steal and kill and destroy (John 10:10a) You came to give LIFE and give it in abundance (10b).

Thank You for helping me sing Your Truth this morning. ♪Faith of Our Fathers♪ ♪Bringing in the Sheaves♪ ♪This Is the Day… I WILL rejoice and be glad in it!! :)

Yes. Yes. Yes! GLAD! Grateful. Loved. Accepting. Delivered. Delighted.

Thank You also for information on the importance of TEARS 

Resources.

 Monday, June 10, 2024 (2:01 p.m.)

Thank You for resources Dear Lord,

Mm. Yes! Resources. 

(2:11 p.m.)

YES! Resources!

I’m actually smiling. Genuinely. Heartfully. Thank You God!

Thinking our resources are our family and friends. Trained professionals. All working together through this brand new life experience we’re currently undergoing. Oh but our resources are so much more than that.

Thank You Father. You really DO have us! Right where You know we need to be.

Looking back through other prayers dealing with resources, I found one written the very morning of our oldest grandson’s birth. Reading a few more from that time I am again reminded of how very blessed we are to be loved by You.

Thumbing my way through Your Word on my way to 1 Thessalonians 5, I find a handwritten prayer to You from what I believe is Wednesday, May 8. Entitled, ‘Brand new’.

“6:15 a.m.

♪I Can Hear Music Sweet, Sweet Music…♪ Yes! Thank You, Father. Thank You. You are providing us SUCH gifts. Communication. Learning. Brand new to us adventures we never expected to be taking. And You are teaching us Your will and Your way through it all. Thank You. Yes. Thank You.

♪Yes Lord, Yes to Your will and to Your way Yes Lord Yes♪”

(2:46 a.m.)

That’s as far as I had gotten. Because of Your resources, I was able to easily find ♪… I will trust You and obey. When Your Spirit speaks to me, With my whole heart I’ll agree And my answer will be yes, Lord, yes.♪

Thank You Father. I have a smile. How long has that been? Oh yeah, late last Thursday night when fear crept in and took over my very being.

Thank You that Your Word is stronger than my fear.

(4:03 p.m.)

Yes! YOU are greater. Stronger. Higher. Healer. Awesome in power. ♪And if OurGod is for us, then who could ever stop us. And if Our God is with us, then what can stand against? Our God is stronger…♪

Thank You God for being our absolute greatest Resource of them all. And providing us all the necessary other ones along the way.

Your Word. 1 Thessalonians 5:14-22. Part of Paul’s Final Advice in encouraging the brothers and sisters in Thessalonica to continue trusting Christ’s return. Urging them to “warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone. 

“See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people.

“Always be joyful [I have NOT been!]. Never stop praying [possibly a little bit]. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who being to Christ Jesus. 

“Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. Do not scoff at prophecies, but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. Stay away from every kind of evil.”

Teach me Father. Lead me. Guide me. Nurture, feed, grow me in Your Spirit and in Your Word. I love, need, trust and want You. Do ALL You must for our good and Your glory (Romans 8:28). Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(542 words ~ 4:21 p.m.)

changing course

 Sunday, June 9, 2024 (6:44 a.m.)

Blessed God,

I haven’t been giving thanks in all things. I confess to griping. Even cursing the nausea. So here I am, changing course.

Immediately begins a song. ♪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…♪

Thank You Father. I have been so busy cursing the darkness I’d completely forgotten to light any candles instead.

Mm. Another song ♪Light of the world You stepped down into darkness Opened my eyes, let me see Beauty that made this heart adore You Hope of a life spent with You Here I Am to Worship Here I am to bow down Here I am to say that You’re my God You’re altogether lovely Altogether worthy Altogether wonderful to me♪

Forgive me for whining Lord. And especially for cursing. Teach me instead to praise. Thanking You in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

LOTS of prayer

 Saturday, June 8, 2024 (6:19 a.m.)

Most Dear and Blessed Holy God,

I am feeling not okay. Still nauseous. Wanting different than what I have. Align my thoughts and physicality with Your best for me I ask. Truly I don’t know how to do this any differently than I have been. Lord I need You.

Thinking about it there was a song earlier. I was grateful to be singing it. I wonder what it was. 

What’s it going to take Lord for me to feel better? LOTS of prayer. I’ve been trying everything else I can think of. Do all You must Dear Lord. Yes. Do all You must.

finding hope now

 Friday, June 7, 2024 (5:44 a.m.)

Blessed, Holy Father God,

I am confessing nausea.

(6:20 a.m.)

Thank You for leading me straight into Your Word. Your Word of Truth and hope and promises. Thank You for this sleep inducing prayer attached to one writer [Deb Wolf]’s offering concerning verses to pray when we need hope now.

“Please, by the power of Your Spirit, help me trust Your promises. Fill me with Your Truth as I study Your Word and turn to You in prayer. I need hope now. Please, help me remember that I have everything I need when I have You. You are my Lord and Savior. You are my hope and shield. Amen.”

Thank You Father. Really, truly, genuinely, deeply thank You!

Use me this day EXACTLY as You know is best. I want to serve, glorify and enJOY You as You created me to do. I love, need, trust and want You Lord. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(166 words ~ 7:09 a.m.)