Oh, how I thank You!

Friday, December 23, 2016 (5:57 a.m)

Holy God,

Thank You! Mistakes are happening. Along with sniffles and a sore throat. Yeast dough didn't rise and there's more on the to do list than there is time or energy with which to get it all done. And I'm looking to You for direction. Guidance. Your plan. Not mine.

Blessed Father, we love You. That's what we want to be evident around here. You have blessed us this Advent Season. Grown us as a team like never before. Let us not lose sight of that. You are what matters. Not presents. Nor baked goods. You!

Mm, this morning I'm encouraged by Paul's words in his second letter to Timothy.

There's a lot going on in my head right now. There's one extreme and then another. A little bit of all or nothing thinking. YOU know exactly what You would have me do with the time You have provided me this day.

Two sections of Your Word stand out for me at the moment. 2 Timothy 2:22, “Run from anything that stimulates youthful lust. Follow anything that makes you want to do right. Pursue faith and love and peace, and enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.”

“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right. It is God's way of preparing us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

I look to You Holy God. Asking You to guide and take charge of my efforts and their results. You are Who I long to glorify, worship and adore. Make it so Dearest Lord. Use me exactly as You wish. I love You. I need You. I want You. I ask You. And I thank You. Oh, how I thank You! Yes. Thank You. Amen.

(339 words ~ 7:16 a.m.)

no surprise

Thursday, December 22, 2016 (6:40 a.m.)

Blessed God,

Surprise! On us! It's raining. And cold. Plans have changed. And none of this is surprising to You. Thank You God. Thank You that nothing surprises You!

Thank You that You know Your best for each and every single one of us. Thank You that even though we often times miss out on all You have to offer us, You never change (Malachi 3:6a). In You there is no surprise! You are the Lord and we are grateful.

Father, You know the plan You have for this day. How I ask You to adjust my thinking to match the pace You have set for me.

You have been doing an amazing work in us this Advent season. We ask that You continue training us in hearing and following You.

We love You. We long to serve and glorify You. Do all You must to make it so. Thank You Father. We love You. Amen.

(162 words ~ 8:12 a.m.)

God's grace

Wednesday, December 21, 2016 (6:01 a.m.)

Blessed God,

Thank You.

(6:47 a.m.)

You bless us. You keep us. You smile on us. You gift us. You look us full in the face and make us proser (The Message Numbers 6:24-26).

You grace us. That's what I'd like You to help me in grasping this morning. Your grace. What does it really mean?

An Old Testament word, chesed, “speaks of deliverance from enemies, affliction or adversity. It also denotes enablement, daily guidance, forgiveness, and preservation” (allaboutgod/definition-of-gods-grace).

The New Testament word is Charis, focusing of the provision of salvation.

These are big meanings. Much larger than my understanding. Thank You, in advance, for where You will take us today in our experience of Your grace.

Holy God, while I absolutely do not claim to understand Your loving kindness on our behalf, I am eternally grateful. Your goodness, Your grace allow us not only to seek You, but to find You (Matthew 7:7). Thank You.

Worldwide English (New Testament) tells us, “You have been saved by God's love and kindness [grace] because you believed. It was not because of anything you did, but it was a gift from God” (Ephesians 2:8).

In this season marked for giving, the gift of Your Son to mankind is the greatest we could ever hope to imagine. Continue Your work in helping us accept Him as You intended. Yes Father! Teach us to welcome Your Son into every single aspect of our beings. Our hearts, our souls, our minds, our strength (Mark 12:30).

Bless You Father. Praise You. Thank You. Use us this day exactly as You wish. We love You. We thank You. Amen.

(278 words ~ 8:06 a.m.)

God's gift of love

Tuesday, December 20, 2016 (6:14 a.m.)

Holy God,

Thank You for loving us. What a gift. What an honor. What a privilege.

here and now

Monday, December 19, 2016 (7:33 a.m.)

Holy, Holy God,

Thank You. Thank You. Thank You. Sleep happened for us. Not easily. Nor soundly. Oh, but finally! And extendedly. Thank You Father.

Thank You for the practice of staying in the here and now. Every time my thoughts started going ahead or behind my breathing and surroundings I was reminded that ruminating on should haves or what ifs was not keeping me present.

Thank You Father. Thank You that somewhere in the dark night the word jubilance came to mind. When I needed a counter to where my thoughts wanted to take me various forms of the word swam around within.

Jubilation. Jubilate. Jubilant. Even jubilee, which turns out not to be related. One a noun, another a verb

the next an adjective. All relating to the Latin verb, jubilare, which is used by Christian writers to mean 'shout for joy.'

That's the other thing I was doing during that long night. While not actually shouting out loud, the singing within was filled with rejoicing and praise to You.

Thank You for all the reminders You gave me Father. Thank You for the rest. Use us this day. As You wish.

We are inching our way closer to the celebration of Your Son's holy birth. Let us do what honors You and Him the most. Make sure all our shouts are those of joy!

We love You. We long to serve You. We thank and praise You. Right here. Right now. Thank You Father. Use us. Amen.

(257 words ~ 8:20 a.m.)

freedom and contentment

4^th Sunday of Advent, December 18, 2016 (6:06 a.m.)

Awesome, Blessed, Holy God,

Thank You! How long has it been since I've woken up saying, “Wow!”?

There was sleep. And every time it was interrupted, I remembered to breathe and notice what I heard and physically felt. Thank You Father.

Thank You for Your process in teaching

(7:16 a.m.)

Yes Father, Your process is teaching us to be Your good stewards. How I thank You for the work You are doing in us.

In the Story of the Rich Fool (Luke 12:13-21) Jesus told His followers in verse 15, “Beware! Don't be greedy for what You don't have. Real life is not measured by how much we own.”

The comment in The Life Recovery Bible for this section of Scripture tells us, “True freedom and contentment cannot be found in the things we own; recovery can never be bought. These gifts are freely given to us as we humbly turn to God for His gracious help.”

Father, this particular Advent Season has been wonderful. You keep reminding us where You would have us place our priorities. On You! Thank You.

thoughts and feelings

Saturday, December 17, 2016 (7:57 a.m.)

Blessed God,

Thank You! It's taken almost two hours for me to decide that yes I DO actually want to be grateful. I allowed my thoughts and feelings to run amok much of the night. The chattering inside my head bounced from topic to concern. Landing often at frustration. And occasionally, fear.

No matter the inner chastising I did on myself, it wasn't until I searched “thoughts and feelings” that I truly relaxed.

(9:39 a.m.)

Holy God,

I truly can be my own worse enemy. No one else seems to think of me as negatively as I think of myself. Thank You that You love me in spite of myself.

Thank You that much is said of negative thoughts and feelings. Thank You that I am not alone in the patterns they actually make in our brains. And thank You especially that there are proven ways out of the loop that so very often ingrains me.

Holy, holy God and Father, thank You that praising You is the antidote for everything that tries to poison our soul. I confess to trying to smile, sing, read and pray my way out of the downward spiral my thoughts and feelings were taking me.

Never once did I pause to breathe You in deeply, connect with my surroundings and truly praise You for Who and all You are. Father, thank You! Thank You for reminders. Thank You for hope. Thank You for love. Thank You for joy!

Psalm 42:11(a) poses the question with which I admonished myself repeatedly, “Why am I discouraged? Why so sad?” It's the end of this verse I was missing. “I will put my hope in God! I will praise Him again – my Savior and my God!”

YES! Hope in You. Praise You again.

Do all You must Father in helping me get in good practice of this powerful Truth. I love You. I long to serve You. And I ask (Matthew 7:7) You to provide exactly all that is needed to make this happen.

I am Yours. And I love You. Thank You. Amen.

(354 words ~ 10:12 a.m.)