extenuating circumstances

 ♪I’m ‘bout to have a Good Day

No matter what they say♪

Saturday, March 21, 2026 (5:54 a.m.)

Lord God,

You’ve been singing and speaking to me for several hours. Thank You for Your presence and Your patience with me.

I confess to the wimpy whining I’ve been doing these past several weeks. It’s too cold. Too windy. Too hot. Too hard. Too many extenuating circumstances...

Yes Lord, I confess to absolutely being unlike the apostle Paul! He had learned to be content (Philippians 4:11). He had learned the secret of living in every situation (v. 12).

And that secret? Doing “everything through Christ, the One who gives me strength” (13).

Forgive me Father. I’ve been trying to muscle my way through all the events life in this world has been throwing my way.

I’ve fallen back into spending way too much time in my head. Stewing. Fretting. Trying desperately to accomplish things on my own. Or just giving up completely.

You have much more in store for me than this. More than I’ve been willing to trust and believe You able to accomplish in, with, by, through and for me.

Jesus says, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).

Forgive me for forgetting and redoubling my efforts on my own! I want a deeper, more meaningful dependency on You. I love, I need, I trust, I want You as absolute Lord of my life.

You reminded me earlier 

♪…Greater is the One living inside of me

Than he who is living in the world♪

As I read the lyrics now I am all the more grateful to You God.

♪Bring your tired

And bring your shame

Bring your guilt 

And bring your pain

Don’t you know that’s not your name

You will always be much more to Me♪

Thank You for directing me back to the Truth and promises found in Your Word. As guilty and ashamed as I tend to feel at any given moment, that is NOT Your best for me!

Thank You for leading me again to 2 Corinthians 12:9 and Galatians 6:4-5. Do all You must that I will stand firmly as I stay my mind on them.

‘Your grace IS all I need! Your power works best in weakness.’ I want so much to echo Paul’s words. “So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

♪…greater is the One living inside of me

Than he who is living in the world♪

As You continue Your transforming work (Romans 12:2) involving me, I ask (Matthew 7:7a) that You keep me far out of Your way. Do all You must that I will leave You to all that is necessary in changing me from the inside out.

I want to be empowered and enabled by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 3:16, 2 Timothy 1:7) to ‘pay careful attention to my own work, for then I will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and I won’t need to compare myself to anyone else. For we are each responsible for our own conduct’ (Galatians 6:4-5).

This IS the day that You have made! I want VERY much to rejoice and be glad in it (Psalm 118:24).

♪Bring your tired

And bring your shame

Bring your guilt 

And bring your pain…

‘Cause I hear a voice and He calls me redeemed

When others say I’ll never be enough

And greater is the One living inside of me

Than he who is living in the word♪

I invite you in dear Lord. No longer stand at the door and knock. Come in and share a meal as friends (Revelation 3:20).

♪Into My Heart, into my heart,

Come into my heart, Lord Jesus;

Come in today,

Come in to stay,

Come into my heart, Lord Jesus♪

Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(711 words ~ 7:17 a.m.)

willing student

 Friday, March 20, 2026 (4:39 a.m.)

Good morning Blessed God,

Psalm 19:14, 90:14, 143:8

Isaiah 50:4

(5:26 a.m.)

You have much to teach me. 

Psalm 92:12-15

“Ask questions rather than offer advice”

(6:02 a.m.)

My thoughts are all over the place this morning. Prayers for others. Tests being run on a tiny newborn. Job searches for another. Safe travels for a returning snow skier. Your healing hand and presence with them all.

Father, thank You for holding me together. So often I think/feel parts of myself slipping away. When I pause long enough to really look at circumstances I see Your loving wisdom and design in the details.

You have much to teach. And I? Even more to learn. Make me a willing student Dear Lord.

Even with the song I’ve been singing for hours.

♪Good Morning, good morning

We’ve talked the whole night through

Good morning, good morning

To YOU!♪

Yes! I get it now. You and I did talk throughout the night. And now as

♪Sun beams will soon smile through♪

I’m still singing

♪Good morning

Good morning

To You♪

Holy Father, God use me exactly as You know is best this day [which You have made (Psalm 118:24a)]. I truly want to ♪rejoice and be glad in it♪ (24b).

Do all You must that I will worship, adore, glorify, enjoy and represent You well. I love, need, trust and want You Dear Lord. Thank You. Bless You. Praise You. Amen.

(255 words ~ 6:24 a.m.)

being reconciled

 ♪This is the day…♪

Thursday, March 19, 2026 (5:21 a.m.)

Father,

Thank You for another new day. One in which to rejoice and be glad.

♪Take my life and let it be

Consecrated, Lord, to Thee…♪

John 14:9 10

Psalm 51:5

Romans 7:18

1 John 1:9

Colossians 2:13

John 6:63

Isaiah 1:18

1 Peter 5:18

Philippians 2:8

Being reconciled

True satisfaction

Promise of forgiveness

Seek to serve rather than to be served

2 Corinthians 5:18-21

Romans 5:8-11

Colossians 1:20-22

(6:29 a.m.)

Blessed Lord God, thank You for this opportunity of sitting and reading about what it means to be reconciled [changed completely] by You. There is definitely a “new normal” taking place within me. I am choosing to believe that You know and will do all that is best.

Psalm 85

Father God, I love, need, trust and want You. I read Your Word. I trust. I hope. Empower and embolden me in hearing and obeying You.

You are good, great, gracious and glorious (Psalm 145:5-8). Do all You must that I will truly worship, adore, glorify, enjoy and represent You well. You know what You are doing. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(210 words ~ 6:50 a.m.)

out loud

 Wednesday, March 18, 2026 (5:22 a.m.)

♪I speak the name of Jesus over you…

…Come believe it

Come receive it…♪

(In Jesus Name)

♪I just wanna speak the name of Jesus♪

(I Speak Jesus)

Father God,

Thank You for reminding me of the importance of speaking out loud.

(6:45 a.m.)

I confess to You the exorbitant amount of time I spend inside my head. Thinking this. Pondering that. One wild idea after another.

Thank You for prompting me to speak my thoughts. Out loud. To You.

(6:59 a.m.)

Blessed God, thank You for inviting me in to yet another form of worship. Continue Your work in teaching me to honor You. Focusing my thoughts and speech on Your grace, Your Truth and Your kindness.

Father, I love, need, trust and want You. Use me exactly as You know is best. Worshiping, adoring, glorifying, enjoying and representing You well in all I am, think, say and do. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

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

 

rejoicing always

Tuesday, March 17, 2026 (6:56 a.m.)

(7:32 a.m.)

Father,

I want to give You something real. Not mechanical. I’m looking into what it means to rejoice always. Even/especially when I’m not feeling it.

Thank You that there is much written about rejoicing always. Thank You also for the song verse from yesterday that keeps singing out to me.

♪…I can face anything

‘Cause You’re here with me

I can do all things

‘Cause You strengthen me♪

(Fires)

Thanking comes so much easier for me than rejoicing. I look to You to do all You must with this.

Thank You for the privilege of telling You straight out that rejoicing can be hard! Thank You that there is much written about this as well.

“It is okay to grieve, feel lost, and admit that you are struggling, as joy is a deep strength rather than just a shallow emotion” (AI).

Reading further I am reminded that I can choose to “view challenges as training grounds for faith and endurance” (loosely based on James 1:2-4).

(7:58 a.m.)

Psalm 33:21, 20

Mm. And here I get to sing again!

♪Christ is my Firm Foundation

The Rock on which I stand

When everything around me is shaken

I’ve never been more glad

That I put my faith in Jesus

‘Cause He’s never let me down

So why would He fail now?

He Won't♪

(9:08 a.m.)

(9:46 a.m.)

Psalm 16:11

♪There is joy in the House of the Lord…

And we won’t be quiet♪

(10:35 a.m.)

Nehemiah 8:10

♪There is joy is the House of the Lord…

And we won’t be quiet♪

(10:47 a.m.)

Dragging this time with You out over several hours this morning has been helpful. Wanting to learn to rejoice even when I don’t “FEEL” like it is necessary in being truthful with You.

Thank You for showing me the writings of others that deal with this very topic. I read that by rejoicing when I’m not feeling it, over time I will come to feel it.

A bigger truth I’m coming to better understand comes from a sermon given in February 2021 at Citylight Center City. “… If you want real joy, don’t simply seek it. Seek the LORD, and because He is joy, in Him you will find it.”

The joy of the Lord IS my strength! Help me apply it again and again and again. 

I love, need, trust and want You Blessed God. Do all You must that I will truly worship, adore, glorify, enjoy and represent You well. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(444 words ~11:09 a.m.)